Angel of mine
by surprisedreader
Summary: Holland is a Demon who captures a young Angel named Matthew who entered his domain without justifiable cause. This goes against the rule set by God and the Devil and as such Holland has the rights to keep Matthew until he receives compensation. Darkish!
1. prologue

Holland looked at the Angel crying on the floor. He was beautiful. "You know…" Holland said tilting his head to the side watching large purple eyes leak giant tears. "They say that if a demon bathes in the blood of an angel they will become pure again."

The angel's whole body shuttered and Holland smiled widely before squatting down before the silently crying Angel forcing his face up so they could look each other in the eye. "Don't worry Cherub. I do not believe the blasphemy of my brethren. It would be a shame to drain you in a bath anyway. I have a much better use for you." The Angel shuttered again but his eyes were hard even if his lip quivered and one wing was broken uselessly at his side. Holland stood his full height again and the Angels eyes followed him. Watching. Waiting for a moment to strike out and kill the Demon even if it would cost him his life. "What is your name Seraph?"

"Why?" The word was spoken softly, but with power. Not power most would notice. It was subtle. Hardly distinguishable between the tremor of fear and hoarseness from crying.

"So that I may have something to call you when I take you into my bed." Holland said sarcastically watching as fear once again filtered into purple eyes. "It's a joke Angel relax." He said laughing. "I wouldn't bed you for fear that your pureness my rub off on me. I merely wish to know what they call you. You will be stuck with me for quite a while, before I return you to your God."

"Matthew…" He said dropping his head. "They call me Matthew."

"Matthew…" Holland repeated with a nod. "I am Holland. The demon of this realm and I claim you as my hostage for breaking the code and entering my sector without warrant. You will remain mine until I come to a deal with your God that I find agreeable compensation for your transgression. You will do as I say without fail until this time comes. Do you agree to these terms?"

Matthews good wing twitched like he wanted to use it but his face stayed blank as he stared back at Holland without replying. A growl formed in the back of Hollands throat. "Would you like me to break the other wing Angel?" He asked. "Then speak your vow to me so we may be down with it!"

A singular tear rolled down Matthews face. "I agree."


	2. bath time

To say he was surprised would have been an understatement. Matthew was shocked. Bamboozled. Flabbergasted. And a tad squeamish. After giving in and agreeing to the terms, the demon had nodded. Apparently satisfied he scooped the smaller male up into his arms bridle style, wings left to dangle, the tips barley brushing the ground.

Matthew wanted to protest. He wanted to scream and rage and beat the dark creature to a pulp for touching him but his body was aching and his left wing was broken and he could feel the level three angel power he'd tapped into draining from him. It would be close to three hours for him to be able to reach that level again and the demon who called himself Holland hadn't even been phased by the display in the first place. He had fucked up. Pure and simple. He relied too heavily on his gift, but why shouldn't he. No one else seemed to be so completely unaffected by it before. No one, but this demon who had taken him down as easily as a falcon would a sparrow.

Matthew stifled a whimper when the Demon shifted his hold as they entered what he was assuming was the Demons residence. There was silence for a moment before the door was shut behind them and Matthew had to crush down a panicked cry at the sound at being locked in.

"Welcome back sir. What can we do for you?" A strange creature asked stepping forward. Its skin was ink black but it shined like spilled oil when the overhead light hit it just right. It looked relatively humanoid two arms, two legs, body, head, mouth, nose. Its eyes were a clear blue that looked wrong on its strangely flat face. Too normal. Too much like a humans. Its pointed ears twitched as it waited for a command.

"A bath Sebastian, if you please." Holland replied.

To little hooves clacked as the servant shifted drawing Matthew's attention to the fact that though there were indeed two legs, underneath the dress pants must be something that looked similar to a goats. "A bath sir? I beg your pardon but we ran one for you this morning was it not to your liking?"

"It's not for me." Holland said not sounding the least bit annoyed as Matthew expected the demon to at being questioned. "It's for my guest. Can you run it in the big one please?"

The smaller demon frowned before glancing at the angel in his masters arms making his eyes go wide as if he was seeing the blond for the first time. The butler, as it seemed to Matthew that that was the lesser demons job, blushed. At least Matthew assumed it was a blush as his black face suddenly filled with swirling color as if someone has spilled fresh oil on pavement. "I apologize I hadn't realized we had company." He said before shaking his head as if to clear it. "The bath will be ready momentarily. Would you like me to send someone to clean him for you?"

"No Thank you Sebastian, I will see to it myself. If you could bring me some fresh cloths please and binders for his wings I would be most appreciative." Holland said before beginning to walk again.

"Very good sir. I shall have what you require waiting for you in your bedroom."

By the time they reached the bathroom Matthew's heart was pounding faster than he had ever felt it go before. The demon placed Matthew down onto his own two feet and almost simultaneously the angel did something he knew he shouldn't. His hand few back and then came crashing forward into the demons cheek.

The sound of the slap resonated through the large tiled room followed by Matthew panicked panting breath. The demon's amber eyes flicked toward Matthew with his head still turned to the side for when he had been hit before straightening and slowly advancing on the smaller man backing him into a wall. Holland grabbed the angels wrist and pulled it above his head before squeezing it. Matthew felt the bones in his wrist crunch together as pain blossomed up his arm. "I am going to suggest you not do that again." The demon growled against his ear before letting go and stepping away.

A warning.

The beast had just given him a warning. Grant it his wrist was hurting like a bitch but it wasn't broken as he had feared had been the demons intention.

"Undress." The command startled him making Matthew look at the demon again only to blush at his half undressed state. "W-what? But…why?" Matthew asked pressing his back harder into the wall, even as his broken wing protested at the treatment, as Holland walked towards him again.

"You're covered in blood and filth Angel. I cannot have you making a mess of my house. The others residing here have enough to do without cleaning up after you. So you can undress yourself. Or I will do it for you." Holland stopped advancing to both give Matthew a moment to decide how they would proceed and to get a better look at the boy.

His angel armor was very polished and shown a beautiful silver underneath the dirt and grime and blood accumulated from their fight. The front chest plate had a cross in the center. The armor was well put together it covered him from chest to toe leaving only his joints semi exposed and even those were covered in chainmail. Holland sighed and moved forward again when the angel made no move to disrobe on his own and set to work on getting the armor off. Matthew stiffened but didn't fight though he did look a little surprised at how unaffected Holland was by the blessed silver that made up his suit. "It would burn the young ones." Holland said softly having removed both arm and leg guards and eyeing the chest plate trying to figure out the least painful way to remove it. "But I am not young." He said before taking the direct route and jerking it forward. Matthew groaned in pain and Holland set the suit aside so he could take a better look at the wound he had inflicted earlier. A piece of the spear was still lodged near the underside of Matthew's armpit and the tip was pressing just under the surface between Matthews shoulder and neck. The angel was luck Holland hadn't shoved the wood in harder forcing it into his neck killing him.

"I'm going to remove the chainmail now." Holland said gently glancing at Matthew to see him shaking and sweating at the jostling of his most serious wound. When he got no reply Holland took it as a 'go ahead' and pulled a knife from his pocket before whispering a curse apron it, kneeling, and starting to cut up the side. Matthew made a noise of dismay as a few links on his chainmail started to melt away where the knife cut, letting Holland shred the armor away from his wound instead of trying to pull it over his head. Dropping that too to the side Holland looked at Matthew again. He was left now in what looked like a latex suit that hugged every curve of his body so tight he might as well have been naked. Holland wasn't surprised he had seen some warriors where things similar but the white suit made things tighten in his nether regions that he didn't want to think about too hard. Forcing his eyes away for the delicious looking lithe frame he focused on the spear fragment again. Blood had stained the white suit from his shoulder across half his chest and almost all the way down to his hip. It needed to come out so Holland could stop the bleeding. "Hold your arm up." Matthew did as asked slowly wincing at the pain it cause now that the armor wasn't there to help still the wood. "I am going to pull this out." Holland said meeting Matthews eyes. "Do you understand?" Matthew licked his lips and nodded. He was ghost white already Holland wanted to wait but he knew that the longer he left in in the more it would hurt. It was cursed to cause maximum pain in an angel.

He didn't count to three he just placed one hand near the wound to steady Matthew and used the other to rip out the weapon. No need to prolong the pain.

Matthew screamed so loud Holland was sure it was echoing throughout the house. The angels head dropped forward as he bit of the end of the cry and his hands grabbed Holland's shoulders. His knees were shaking so badly that Holland feared he may collapse but pure will kept the angel mostly upright. "Oh God." Matthew whispered tears pouring down his face. "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

"Romans." Holland said. "8:18" Matthew looked at him in surprise. "Does it help to pray when no one answers?"

"He always answers." Matthew said gently conviction in his eyes. "We just aren't always listening." Holland made a half snorting noise and pressed his hand to Matthews wound making him hiss as it healed over enough to slow the bleeding.

"Can you finish undressing on your own or must I do that too." Holland asked standing and walking towards the bath slowly licking the blood from his hand. It was an in ground tub that took up over half of the bathroom. He loved it for when he need to relax.

"I can bath on my own." Matthew snapped.

"I'm sure you can. But I don't need to be giving to reasons to try and flee now do I?" Holland replied pulling off his own pants and kicking them into a corner before looking at the knife Matthew had imbedded into his thigh earlier. Gritting his teeth he jerked it out with a grunt and rubbed the heel of his hand over the wound making it heal.

"I'm not getting naked with you in here." Matthew insisted.

"And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." Holland quoted with a smile making a blasphemous sign of the cross.

"Do not mock pain of Job!" Matthew yelled and Holland sighed before he was suddenly tackled from behind and crashed into the water. Holland broke to the surface with the intention of drowning the little shit only to blink in surprise as the angel was nowhere in the tub but pressed up into the corner of the ceiling dripping wet.

"You're trying to burn me in the pits of hell!" Matthew shrieked and Holland blinked again as his normally spiky hair flattened to his head.

"What are you talking about?" Holland grumbled before it dawned on him. "It's just hot water. It's not even that bad!" He laughed before teleporting up to where Matthew was. "Come in little angel. You will enjoy it." He said giving him a wicked smile.

"You are the devil." Matthew growled trying to summon power he knew he didn't yet have the energy to poses. His purple eyes started to glow before Holland grabbed him by his shoulders pulling him forward and then slamming him back into the wall shaking his concentration making him loose the little power he had summoned. "Cut the shit!" Matthew spit in his face and Holland growled teeth sharpening before teleporting back to the ground and forcing Matthew into the heated water.

"I am only to help you, you ungrateful little bitch." He snarled ripping at Matthew's last piece of clothing leaving him bare. For his efforts he got a fist to the eye as Matthew tried to scramble away again. He grabbed an ankle and jerked forcing the angel back under the water only to get a foot to the ribs.

Half an hour later with both of them hurting more than when they started Matthew was stuck sitting n Holland's lap as the demon rubbed a soapy cloth against his pale skin washing away the dirt.

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	3. kiss with a fist

After Holland cleaned Matthews body he start on his wings. This of course started another protests from the angel that Holland quickly smashed by grabbing ahold of the broken wing that was hanging limply on Matthews back. "It's broken Matthew." He growled having jerked the angel back so his back was pressed against Holland's chest one arm looped around his waist. The hostage wing was being held dangerously close to the center of the break making Holland have to have his own arm pulled back half past his own body to keep Matthew trapped. "It's broken and I need to clean the damn thing or it will get infected and heal improperly and I won't be blamed for returning a flightless angel."

"Fuck off." Matthew snarled trying to struggle. "I can clean it myself. They are my wings!"

Holland growled again teeth growing again with his annoyance before tightening his hold on the wing making Matthew snarl out his own sound of pain. "Can you heal it Matthew?" asked Holland. "CAN YOU?"

"NO!" Matthew yelled back.

"Then shut up and let me do it or I will force you to sit still while I fix it by binding you. Is that what you want?" When no answer came Holland jerked back on the wing again making Matthew cry out. "NO!"

"I didn't think so. Now sit." He said forcing the seraph down into the water again while he loosened his hold on the damaged appendage and sat down on the floor by the edge of the in ground tub.

Scooping water in his hands he wet the wings repeatedly until the water resistant feathers finally started to soak in some of the moisture. Then he took the broken left wing and stretched it out to its full length so he could better see the harm he had done. Angel wings were different than bird wings. A bird had completely hollow bones to make flight possible, but angels were, anatomically speaking, like humans with solid dense heavy bones. That meant their wing bones also had to be thick, dense, heavy bone to be able to bare the weight. All in all it added up to a bitch to heal.

Holland sighed before reaching his freehand out and running it gently yet firmly across the top of the wing. There was a transvers fracture in the humerus, a compression fracture in the radius and a solid break in the ulna. He thought about making a joke about drinking more milk to prevent these types of breaks but crushed the idea at seeing how tense Matthew already was.

Holland scooped up some more water before slowly spilling it over the damaged parts of the wing then placed the heel of his hand over the wing at the base and ran it all the way to the tip. It was painful but he could feel the bones stitching back together already. Continuing his examination Holland moved onto the feathers. All the primary and secondary looked fine and so did all of the coverts. There was once loose feather, just a small one. Holland reached a hand forward, tugged it loose and examined it closely before looking up to find Matthew glaring at him over his shoulder. "Are you done?" He asked stiffly.

"For now." Holland replied. "You may finish bathing however you wish."

Matthew stiffly stood and walked to the other side of the tub to wash out his hair as Holland sank his own body back down into the warmth closing his eyes and relaxing. "Do angels bath in cold water?" He asked. He was met by silence and he sighed peeking an eye open to look at Matthew. The angel was refusing to look at him as he dipped his head back to wet his hair and used the demons shampoo to clean it. Holland closed his eyes again deciding he could force and answer out of the angel but why waste the energy and risk another black eye.

"Yes."

Holland smiled at the monosyllable answer and relaxed against the side of the tub wall. Maybe the angels stay would not be so bad.

Silence filled the room a couple minutes later signaling that Matthew was completely still in the water and then he felt the shift. The angel was under the water. He barely heard when the angel surfaced again. If he hadn't been listening he wouldn't have heard it. He felt the water gently shift around his thighs as he assumed the angel straddled his waist, again nothing that he wouldn't have thought anything of it if he hadn't been watching for it. Holland's eyes opened just as his hand shot forward stilling Matthews that was plunging down towards his chest.

The angel looked surprised. No surprised was the wrong word. Completely shocked was more like it. "That was rude." Holland said squeezing his hold on the smaller man's wrist trying to get him to let go of the feather in his hand, the quill poised above Holland's heart. It was the feather Holland had pulled free moments go. It wasn't a large one, but it's poison would have done the job of at least slowing Holland down enough, if not killing him so Matthew could flee. Matthew grit his teeth but didn't let go.

"Are you going to make me break it?" Holland asked. "If you are I'm not going to fix this one." Matthew hesitated considering his options. Surrender and fight another day or try to take Holland on now and risk being broken down enough to not be able to fight again.

Matthew dropped the feather and Holland smiled looping a hand around Matthews back pulling his body flush with his own. "Good boy."

"Release me." Matthew said his face going red and not from the warm water.

"Why?" Holland asked grinding his pelvis up to tease the angel. "You put yourself in this position. You must want it." He said smiling showing his sharp rows of teeth. "Your bigger than I thought you would be Angel. It would be fun to mount you." He teased.

"I did it to try and kill you demon. Release me!" Matthew said using his free hand to shove at Holland's shoulder before his hand shot up and grabbed a horn and jerked sending Holland under the water as he twisted away and swam to the other side of the tub before pulling himself up and out. Holland came to the surface looking mildly annoyed before reaching up and rubbing at his abused horn. He hadn't realized he had relaxed enough to let them out.

The horns resembled that of a rams. They came out just above his pointed ears came up above his head looped around again and the points rested just above his shoulders curling slightly to the side to keep from cutting into his own skin. At the top of the arch the horns probably made him solid two or three inches taller. With his horns out he knew it meant the skin around his eyes had also darkened and his eyes themselves were probably glowing soft amber. His nails had lengthened a bit as had his canines making them longer and sharper than his already sharp teeth. He stood up before also climbing out of the tub and whipped his wire thin tail once to rid it of water as he retrieved two towels. He walked towards Matthew who had backed himself into a corner and was practically hissing at him before stopping and reached a hand out towards him with a towel. Matthew hesitated shooting a look at Holland's tail. The arrowhead like tip was dangerous and he knew it and to get the towel he would have to step in range of it. Holland rolled his eyes before walking away with the offered cloth leaving Matthew dripping wet and naked in the corner.

"If you cannot come to trust me this is going to be a very long stay you have with me Angel…not that I don't mind the view you provide." He said as he dried himself off and looked over Matthews naked skin hungrily. Matthew flushed again looking pissed and covered himself with his wings. Holland wasn't sure why he felt the need to tease the other man. He wouldn't take him unwillingly unless it had some greater out come in it for him. Currently the only outcome rape would have was relieving the pressure Holland was getting in his dick and making Matthew try ten times hard to kill him. Not something he needed.

Matthew walked towards him and held out his hand for a towel while keeping his wing poised in front of him to keep his modesty. Holland laughed handing him what he desired before walking into connecting room that belonged to him. "There are clothes for you here." Holland said pointing to a pile of neatly folded laundry.

Matthew dried quickly before rushing to the clothes and jerking them on. Sebastian had done well. Holland thought looking Matthews outfit over. The whole outfit was white and the pants fit comfortably around the waist and loosely in the legs. The top was also loose fitting but in a stylish way allowing one sleeve to hang off the shoulder exposing a delicious expansion of skin. His butler it seemed to think Holland would be making Matthew as his as the top allowed not only for marking but for anyone to see the claim when the angel walked around. Nice of him but it was not Holland's intention and it added to his mounting list of attractions to the angel.

Holland opened his mouth to tell Matthew that he needed to put on wing binders only to have the angel spot them on his own his eyes hardening in a way that said fuck no when the door suddenly opened.

Matthew closed his eyes and breathed in. fresh air. He could feel it.

Watching Matthew was like seeing into his mind as it suddenly started to calculate.

Second floor. Open window. Third bedroom to the right. On the left side of the hallway.

"Sir I was wondering if-" The only words Sebastian got out before Matthew was threw the door heading for freedom.

"Son of a bitch." Holland cursed heading after him. Matthew was fast even without his extra angel power boost. So fast that even teleporting Holland was having a hell of a time keeping up. He grabbed and ankle and jerked back sending Matthew crashing into a side table and breaking a vase before the angel. Pushed off with his wings up to the second landing and headed down the hall.

He was in the bedroom headed for the window before Holland caught him again sending him into the bed. The bed wasn't able to withstand the force and its frame cracked giving Matthew a weapon as he rolled and picked up some of the shattered wood. He lunged at Holland forcing him back before diving for the open window. Holland growled teleporting outside and kicking off the side of the house to launch himself at Matthew taking them both to the ground. They struggled a moment before Holland won pinning Matthews wrists as he sat on the angels waist keeping the large wings trapped against the ground unable to help him. "Damn it Angel!" Holland cursed. "Do you want me to break you is that it? Are you a masochist? If you want me to hurt you just ask don't make me chase you all over the fucking house." He growled.

Matthew met his gaze. Even completely defeated the angel was defiant and beautiful. Pinned to the ground his hair was splayed around him like a halo and Holland suddenly felt consumed by those large angry purple eyes. So he did the only thing he could think to do to gain back some form of control. He closed his eyes and kissed the angel who to his surprise kissed him back.

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	4. seal

The kiss was like heaven.

It was like flying.

And falling.

And sweetest of sins.

At some point Holland had shifted his hold from Matthews wrists to cupping his face and Matthews hands in turn sunk into Holland's spiking hair. Feeling the angels fingers tighten Holland was sure he was about to be thrown off for the kiss by his spiked tresses, but instead Matthew pulled him closer and moaned softly.

Their tongues twined around each other in an endless dance trying to consume one another. Holland didn't know how long the kisses lasted. They would pull away for air only to take two or three gasping breaths and attack each other again.

Time stood still for them.

Matthew's hands started to trail down Holland's back and he dug his nails in mindlessly when Holland started placing kisses along the side of the angels face before leading down towards his neck. Matthews head fell back when Holland nuzzled their checks together making the demon groan with want as he placed an open mouth kiss along Matthews exposed throat. It wasn't the animalistic submission that the position implied that made Holland's sac tighten. It was the smell.

Holland had made two mistakes in the bathroom. First was letting Matthew use the same soaps that he did.

Now his scent was all over the creature of light it made him want to mark him. To lay a more basic scent all over the angels skin so no one could mistake the being as anything but his.

The second, was tasting his blood.

Holland didn't live off blood as some of his brethren did. But he did have a taste for it from time to time and the angel's was the best he had ever had. It was sweeter then molasses and cleaner then fresh fallen snow.

All Holland could think about was sinking his teeth into Matthews exposed neck and shoulder and mark him as his. He couldn't though, Matthew would never forgive him for giving him a demon scar, so instead he placed three more open mouthed kisses and two sweet pecks before coming up and connecting their mouths again just as something snapped off to their left.

Holland's head shot up like a hunting dogs when it catches a scent, as anger filled his eyes. "God damn it." He cursed.

What was he thinking? Kissing Matthew at all was bad but kissing Matthew outside was the worst thing he could have done. Fuck, he might has well have just called Mathias up and told him he had a pretty little angel in his home that he was sexually attracted to. It would have been more painless then the questioning that was going to come as soon as that little minion that had spotted them got back to its master.

"Fuck." Holland cursed again aloud.

What a fucking picture they made too with Matthews wings all out and in his newly acquired 'demon mark' clothes and perfectly blond hair and then Holland pinning him down. His own black undershirt and jeans harsh against Matthews silk clothes. The only thing missing was Matthew completely 'angeled out' as the demons called it, to match Holland's own exposed demon form.

Holland whipped his tail once more in annoyance as he scanned the tree line for any sight that the minion may still be around before turning his attention back to Matthew.

The angel looked like he was going into shock. His eyes were huge. Pupils dilated, nearly swallowing all of the brilliant purple. His face was sheet white and his lips that had just been a beautiful swollen red from kissing were colorless. His breath was coming in short panicked gasps and his whole body was trembling.

"Shit." Holland cursed under his breath. "Matthew…are you alright?"

"I'm going to be sick." Matthew said his hand shoving weakly at Holland's chest to get him to move. The larger male lifted himself up and Matthew rolled himself onto his hands and knees before dry heaving once before crawling towards the bushes and retching.

Holland sighed sitting down in the grass and watched as Matthew coughed up more of what was in his stomach before all that was left was acid and Matthew was left dry heaving again.

"Calm down." Holland said standing and shooting a look towards the trees again. "We need to get inside." When Matthew didn't make a move to rise Holland growled in the back of his throat and approached. "You want me to fucking make you get your ass in the house or-" He froze when he saw Matthews shoulders shake in a way that had nothing to do with vomiting or his previous shock. "Shit." He cursed again before squatting down beside him forcing his demon appearance back down so he was completely human looking. "Angel…are you crying."

Matthew shook his hung head lifting a hand to rub a heel against his eyes. "Fuck off." He choked out.

Holland grabbed him under his arm and heaved them both to their feet. "Fine. You wanna keep being like that, that's fine but I have shit to do today and now I will have a party to host tomorrow and I am not going too be held up because you're having a god damn break down from a kiss." Matthew jerked trying to free himself, shoving at Holland.

"You are trying to drag me to hell with you, you damn demon! You monster! You behemoth! You vile worthless-"

Holland stopped walking and jerked Matthews arm making him strain on his toes to stay on the ground. "IF you believe I am all these things you so stupidly are calling me, do you not think that I will act in the manner of a beast? And if that is the case, and you expect me to beat you and abuse you anyway then why tempt me angel? Why irritate me and annoy me to the point that when I beat you, you will beg me for death?..."

Matthew didn't answer but met his gaze daringly, rage in his eyes. Holland pulled Matthew closer so that their faces were inches apart. "Do you want me to kill you angel?" He asked frowning searching the man's eyes.

"I would rather die pure then after you cover me in sin." Matthew snarled and Holland's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"No one makes you sin Angel. You know that. You kissed me and you loved it." He said tracing his free hand along Matthews face and to his surprise the man didn't flinch. "That sin is yours and yours alone." He whispered tracing a finger along Matthews barely parted lips, his eyes tracing the path his fingers took before he got the shock of his life. Matthews rage filled eyes softened and his lips opened wider, his tongue snaking out to lick at the finger and draw it into his mouth allowing him to suck at it suggestively. Holland's whole body rocked with want as his grip on Matthews arm went slack.

Matthew's beautiful purple eyes looked up at Holland through his lashes. His tongue flicked the tip of Hollands finger before sucking it in all the way to the base before suddenly it wasn't pleasure rocking his world but pain as the angels blunt teeth snapped down on his unprepared finger.

Holland jerked back as his other hand tightened on Matthews arm so he could check his hand over. The angels blunt teeth hadn't done much damage outside of leaving a ugly bruise, but the laughter that followed made Holland want to scream.

Before he could think better of it he let his hand fly hitting Matthew across the face with a solid back hand making him crash to the ground. Matthew's laughter continued, though it gained a slightly hysterical edge as he lay on his back and blood slipped down his chin from his split lip . "You should have seen your face." He howled eyes squeezed tight as tears poured out. "You actually thought. I would want you. Filth like you. Your nothing."

Holland growled and grabbed Matthew by the front of his shirt and jerked him up of the ground. "You want filth angel?" He asked licking the blood from his chin to his lip before locking them in a harsh kiss. "I will show you filth angel…" He hissed furious. "I will make you nothing."

Holland drug Matthew into the house as he screamed and clawed. "SEBASTIAN!" Holland roared. "A sealing circle."

"S-sir." Sebastian asked running into the room looking concerned.

"Give me a damn sealing circle. NOW!" Holland rawred his horns spiraling out, his eyes darkening, and his tail whipping around wildly.

The black half goat demon dropped to the floor and slammed his hands onto the ground yelling words in a language Matthew didn't understand as Holland threw him onto his stomach in the center of the circle. Matthew went to get up only to get slammed back down by a knee between his shoulder blades hands grabbing ahold of his wildly flapping wings pinning them too to the ground. "The Lord Giveth." Holland whispered in Matthews ear as power whorled around them loudly and he gripped the wings painfully tight. "And I…" Pressure built between Matthews shoulder blades, his skin suddenly feeling tight across his back and down his wings. He screamed kicking and pounding his fist against the floor realization hitting him as he doubled his efforts to get away. "Taketh away." The power around them crashed down on him making his eyes go wide as pain ran though him like nothing he had ever felt before.

Then, just as suddenly as it started the noise was gone. The room was absolutely still, Holland removed his knee from Matthews back and placed a kiss over the seal, hidden under his shirt, that now lay in there in its place. "Tell me Matthew…who is nothing now?" He asked before standing and walking away.

"Take it to my room Sebastian." He said as he passed the wide eyed butler.

"Yes sir…do you want me to secure him there?" He asked softly.

Holland paused a moment before chuckling. "No that won't be necessary, He wouldn't get very far even if he did try and leave. Just lock the door, it's not like he can just fly out the second story window any more isn't that right angel?"

With that final nudge Matthew lost it. He curled his knees up to his chest and screamed. His wails of dismay filled the whole house making Holland's underlings of all shapes and sizes peek around corners to see what was happening.

Holland looked back at Matthew his eyes hardened to keep out emotion before leaving the room. Once his master had left the room Sebastian licked his lips nervously and approached the bawling man eyeing the now vacant slits in the back of his shirt. "Master angel…I must take you to my Lords rooms as he has instructed." He said gently placing a hand on Matthews shoulder before Matthews own hand shot up and around the man's throat. "He stole my wings! GIVE THEM BACK!"

"My Lord stole nothing young angel. He merely sealed your wings away inside of you." Sebastian chocked out prying at Matthews ever tightening fingers. "So that you could no long flee from him."

"Release him." A knife slid against Matthew's throat making him grit his teeth in anger before letting the goat demon go. "Please just retire for the night angel. You have riled up the whole house already. It will take hours before they settle down enough to get back to work." The knife was pulled away allowing Matthew to glare back at the one who had placed it there.

A girl looked back at him with gentle brown eyes. She was a tiny thing in her sea blue dress. He could crush her without even opening any angel power reserves. Her hair was a dark, dark brown and her skin was mocha but there was something strange about her flesh. The place her arm had rested against his shoulder when she'd been holding the knife was golden, slowly fading to an orangeish then back to mocha.

He had heard of demons that changed color depending on temperature but he had never met one. He crushed the urge to reach out and touch her as she set the knife on a side table.

"Whats your name?" Matthew asked.

"Seychelles…" She said shyly with a smile. "I know you don't want to be here with us angel, but we will do our best to help you in any way we can while you are. Please don't make it too hard on us…Our lord…Master Holland is not a bad man. I think you will grow to like him."

"I think" Matthew said coldly "that if you leave knives around like that I will bury one in your Demon masters throat."

Seychelles gasped in surprise shaking her head with a hand over her mouth like Matthew had just threatened to kill her puppy before turning and running from the room.

After the ordeal with the temperature demon Sebastian led Matthew to Holland's rooms and locked him in as instructed. The goat demon told Matthew to make himself comfortable. He showed him where the connecting bathroom was and told him he would be around every few hours to check on him to see if he needed anything.

If asked Matthew couldn't tell you how he held it together until the little demon left but once he did and he was left standing in Holland's room alone he broke down again. He fell onto the bed and cried.

He felt naked without wings. Like he had been stripped bare from the one thing that symbolized his power and left with nothing. The lack of extra weight on his back made him feel tiny, useless and defenseless.

Matthew cried so hard his whole body shook with it. He cried so loud he was sure they could hear him down the hall, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. He was trapped here in the clutches of a Demon until he was either killed or released from his oath.

!#$%^&*()!#$%^&*()_+

"Do you think I was wrong Sebastian…" Holland asked sitting in his study staring out the window. There was a smoke dangling from his fingertips. He had hoped the weed would mellow him out, but he was having no such luck.

The goat demon sighed as he placed Holland's dinner on his desk. "Sir may I be frank."

"Yes."

"A bird cannot live without its wings Holland and neither can an angel. You will damage his psyche."

"A single feather of his could kill many of the people I give refuge here Sebastian and he is not a willing prisoner. I would rather damage him than risk any of you getting harmed." Holland said dismissing Sebastian's worries. Silence fell again. "Mathias called…apparently Ice just happened to be taking a stroll through my lands and saw something rather interesting. "

Sebastian shook his head. "No disrespect my lord, but what were you thinking? I mean I suspected you may like the boy but kissing him outside when you know Mathias allows his minions to roam your lands was a bad judgment call."

"I was going to have to tell him about Matthew soon or later anyway." Holland replied with a groan crushing his smoke and rubbing at his forehead. "This just moved my planed conference a little sooner is all."

"When is this conference going to be then?" Sebastian asked pushing Holland's food towards him to encourage him to eat.

"Two weeks. He had wanted it tomorrow, but I told him that I just couldn't be ready in time…Him and his brood give me a headache." Holland replied picking at the plate before him.

Sebastian was quiet a moment before speaking again. "If I may suggest sir…you should mark your angel before they arrive."

Holland nearly choked on his food. "W-what!"

"I am assuming sir that for your conference you will be inviting more than just lord Mathias and his four favorites am I right? You planed on having the whole local area, as to not offend anyone and with that many demons around an angel, someone is bound to try and claim him. So that even when his time served with you is up he will belong to them. I am simply suggesting sir that you get rid of the very problem by marking him as yours, keeping them from trying to steal him out from under you."

Holland felt his teeth sharpen at the very thought of marking Matthew and he knew his eyes must have filled with lust though he fought it back. Sebastian smiled at him. "Sir…I have not seen you so lively in a while. Perhaps it is good that young Matthew is here."

Holland snorted shaking his head. "I think the angel would disagree."

"Ah before I forget sir. I made something for you." Sebastian pulled something out of his pocket and set it on the desk with a smile as he changed subjects. "So that even if you don't mark Matthew people will think he is yours anyway."

Holland picked up the gift looking baffled. One of Matthew's feathers was attached to a single row of silver chain from Matthew's chainmail armor on a hook. "It's wonderful Sebastian where did you get it all?"

"In the bathroom when I was cleaning up." He replied with a smile. "I thought you would like it."

Holland smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

"It's getting late. If there is nothing else you need I am going to check on your angel and head to bed sir."

"No thank you Sebastian I am fine. You have done enough for the day. I'm sorry about the mess the angel made of the house today. I will keep a better eye on him from now on."

"It wasn't a problem sir, keeps me on my toes to have so much excitement going on." Sebastian said with a chuckle before exiting the room shutting the door behind him.

No sooner was the door closed that red eyes blinked at him from the shadows and Holland sighed. "Can I help you Gilbert?"

The shadows grew larger until a man walked out of them. Silver hair almost as striking as his red eyes. "I heard you were housing an angel."

"Then you also heard I will be speaking to everyone about it in two weeks." Holland replied leaning back in his chair as Gilbert plopped down on his desk and started picking at is food.

"I did hear that." Gilbert said smiling. "I just was wondering if you knew exactly what you were housing."

"What are you talking about?"

"If that is the Angel Matthew whom I think it is, then you are giving shelter to the man who slaughtered Ludwig's house all those years ago." Gilbert said swinging his feet mindlessly.

Holland frowned. Ludwig, Gilbert's younger brother had gone mad some years ago. He broke the contract and went into Angel territory and killed many before retreating back to his home. In retribution God sent an angel to punish him.

The angel came and slaughtered every demon under Ludwig's command before burning his house to the ground. Later when Ludwig was pulled from the burning mess and asked what had happened all he could say was he hadn't even known anyone was there until everyone was dead and the angel stood before him. The Angel Matthew.

"Son of a bitch." Holland sighed rubbing at his head. "You're not going to give me problems are you Gilbert? Cause I'm really not in the fuckin mood."

Gilbert laughed and shook his head. "No. Ludwig…I don't want to say he deserved it because no one deserves what happened to him but…it helped him, I guess…clear his head. Get his shit back in order. I just came to warn you that that's no kitten you have on your hands, but a mountain lion."

Holland nodded slowly. "Thank you…what do you want for your warning?" He asked. "Nothing you give comes for free."

Gilbert smiled again. "I wanna see him."

"No."

"Oh come on Holland. I won't touch him. I just want to see the man who could crush my brother like he did. The man my brother swears was a demon in an angels skin." The albino insisted leaning forward and playing with the top button on Holland's shirt.

"Gilbert it's not happening." Holland said batting his hands away.

"Oh come on why not." He whined.

"Because…I sealed his wings and if I brought another demon in to see him so soon I'm not sure how he would react." The taller man said standing.

"You…sealed his wings." Gilbert repeated eyes wide before he shook his head. "Alright. I will wait to see him like everyone else…You want me to pierce your ear?" He asked changing the subject motioning to the earing Holland was holding.

Holland snorted. "You just enjoy hurting people." He said but sat down anyway and dug out a needle from his desk handing it over to the smiling demon.

"You wound me Holland. I am not so mean." Gilbert said hooking his feet through the arms of Hollands chair and pulling him forward as he leaned in to meet him. Holland rolled his eyes but sat still as Gilbert forced the needle through his ear and quickly followed it by the newly made earing.

"There we are." Gilbert said running a hand down the chain before gently touching the feather. "Pretty as a picture." He teased before leaning forward and licking up the blood that was pooling around the new piercing. The demon saliva would help it heal so Holland didn't argue even if Gilbert was only doing it for the taste. "Alright. I should go." The silverlet said with a sigh licking his lips of the last tastes of Hollands blood. "I will see you in two weeks then."

Holland nodded and just as suddenly as he had appeared Gilbert disappeared into the shadows again.

Holland touched his new earing before yawning and standing to stretch. It was time for bed. The feather gently brushed against his collar bone and he shivered at the thought of how it would feel against bare skin.

Holland unlocked his bedroom door and opened it slowly. There lying on his bed in the dim light of a side table lamp was Matthew. Completely passed out. The Angel must have cried until he was worn out and passed out. Sebastian, he was sure, had seen to the overhead light being turned off and that the angel was gently tucked away.

Holland rubbed the back of his spiked hair, crushing the feeling of guilt for making the angel so upset when it was the angels own fault for his current predicament. Holland had tried to be accommodating as best he could due to the circumstances and the angel would have none of it.

Holland shook away the thoughts before stripping down and crawling into his bed careful not to wake the other as he snuggled up next to him and hooked and arm around him pressing Matthews now wingless back to his chest and breathing in the scent of his hair.

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	5. see me

Holland awoke to find Matthew still in his hold and his morning wood pressing embarrassingly against the angels ass. The demon groaned and tried to detangle himself before climbing out of bed and heading for the dresser. Half way pulling up his underwear he felt eyes on him and turned around. Matthew was staring at him. His purple eyes were completely clear giving away that fact that he had been up a while. It wasn't surprising. Angels were early risers and Holland preferred to sleep till noon. What was surprising was that he hadn't removed himself from Holland's hold on him.

"Good morning." Holland said gently finishing pulling up his underwear and slipping into his jeans. His new earing brushed against his shoulder as he moved and he watched as Matthews eyes narrowed in on it and he grit his teeth. "How are you feeling?" Matthew didn't reply but rolled over in bed pulling the covers up to his ears. Holland sighed pushing down his annoyance at being ignored and finished getting dressed. "Sebastian will be in in a little while to help you dress and to bring you food. If you need anything please just ask. Sebastian is the best man I have working here he will make sure you are comfortable." With those parting words he left the room.

Two days later Seychelles came to him tugging at the end of her dress nervously. "Sir…Sebastian sent me."

Holland looked up from his work and frowned. "What's wrong?"

"It's the angel sir…He um…he won't eat." The mocha colored girl shifted and bit her lip making it turn gold. "Sebastian said he won't eat the food he's been leaving and he didn't touch his breakfast or lunch and now he is refusing his dinner as well again."

Holland frowned harder and stood. "What's he doing now?"

"Well…nothing sir. He won't get out of bed." Holland hadn't returned to his rooms since the first night he spent there with the angel hoping the space would give Matthew time to relax. "He hasn't moved at all." Seychelles added weakly looking at the ground. "Sebastian is afraid he is trying to starve himself."

Holland growled and stormed towards his room kicking open the door. Sebastian was off to the side ringing his hands nervously and Matthew was indeed still in the same spot he had left him in two days ago. "What do you think you're doing Matthew…Sebastian go fill the tub." The smaller man rushed off to do as told as Holland jerked the blankets off the bed freeing Matthew from his cocoon he'd made. "You are beginning to annoy me. I am being kind to you all things considered and you just wanna spit in my face. Well you know what that's not going to work for me. Come here!" Holland grabbed Matthew off the bed and tossed him over his shoulder carrying him to the bathroom.

Matthew went tense before he forced himself to lay limp against Holland.

"You can leave us Sebastian. I will handle him." Holland said to the worried looking demon as he dropped Matthew into the tub before climbing in as well. Holland straddled Matthews's waist and leaned forward pinning the man's shoulders to the bottom of the tub. "H-holland what are you doing?" Seychelles asked nervously watching from the doorway as Sebastian backed up.

Matthew didn't fight him.

He laid under the water completely still as a few air bubbles surfaced. "Holland please stop." The temperature demon said weakly taking a step into the tiled room. Matthew let out a few more bubbles and his shoulders went tense as he was reaching the end of his air but still he didn't fight.

"Holland please! Let him up you'll kill him!" Seychelles begged rushing up to the side of the tub and grabbing her demon masters shoulders shaking him weakly.

Holland didn't respond to his begging underling, but stared down at the angel who's lungs he knew must be starting to burn with strain before one of his arms weakly came up to shove at Holland's hold on him. Quickly the gentle shoving turned into panicked thrashing and then brutal struggling making water splash everywhere as Matthew kicked his feet and clawed at Holland as Seychelles screamed in his ear to let the angel go and finally he stood and Matthew broke to the surface gasping for air.

"Are you fucking out of your mind!" Matthew screamed shoving hair out of his face and he gasped in more air kicking weakly at Holland.

"I am beginning to wonder if you are." The demon lord said his clothes soaking wet and sticking to him as Seychelles knelt down and reached both arms into the water to help steady the floundering angel. Matthew had to force himself not to stare at her as her arms turned a brilliant gold when they touched the water. Several places on her face were the same shade where water had splashed up onto her. "You don't want to die Matthew or you would have let me kill you here and now without a fight. Stop being a pain in my ass and eat something." Holland said climbing out of the tub and striping down.

"Bathe while you are in there. You haven't in two days and you are starting to smell." He said before walking from the bathroom to his room to get the food Sebastian had left bringing into the bathroom again. "Sebastian since you are still here you can watch him and make sure he eats that damn food." I will be back in an hour and if that foods not gone I am going to force feed you." Sebastian nodded taking the plate and Seychelles let go of Matthew once he was completely steady and quickly followed Holland out of the room.

Sebastian stayed silent as he set the plate of food next to Matthew on the floor by the tub and then went to gather the things he would need to bathe.

Matthew didn't move, instead chose to stare at the bottom of the tub while imagining what he must have looked like pinned under its surface. "These need to come off." Sebastian said tugging at the hem of Matthews shirt pulling the sopping wet thing off and dropping it into the sink. "The pants to young sir. I will have Seychelles bring you a clean set."

Matthew hesitated before looking at the patiently waiting butler who had his head turned politely to the side giving him the false impression that he had privacy. Matthew sighed and freed himself from the pants handing them over and Sebastian fell back into silence before sitting next to Matthew and scooping water into a cup to rewet his hair. Matthew crushed the urge he felt to argue with the demon and just pressed into the tub wall letting the goat demon work shampoo into his hair.

"You know…My master has heard a rumor about you." Matthew didn't answer so Sebastian continued. "He heard that you were the angel sent to punish the Demon Lord Ludwig. He has been spending the last two day trying to find out if it's true."

"Do you know what the problem is though?" Sebastian scooped water again rinsing the suds from Matthew's hair. "The problem is no one can seem to remember what the Angel Matthew looks like. In fact some people can't even remember if his name was Matthew at all."

Matthew was tense under Sebastian's hands as the demon worked conditioner into his wavy locks. "That got me thinking about the day Master Holland arrived here with you. I couldn't help but think how strange it was that I hadn't even noticed you laying there bleeding in his arms. Then later that day when I was caring for you in the young master's rooms as soon as I walked out the doors I couldn't remember what I had been doing in there in the first place, it wasn't until hours later when I found your feather in the bathroom that I could even recall you name. I had to right down notes for myself to constantly remind myself that you were even here. In fact several times when Holland was speaking to you it was like he was talking to thin air."

"What do you want from me?" Matthew snapped before Sebastian poured water over his head again silencing him.

"Nothing. Just to chat. It is rare to come across someone with such a unusual gift as yours." The demon said gently starting to scrub Matthews back.

"It is not a gift. It's a curse." Matthew said shoulders slumping.

"Ah I see." Sebastian said gently. "Then the other angels can't remember you either." Matthew went so tense again at that the goat demon had to place a hand on his shoulder to keep him from fleeing. "I had thought as much actually when no one came for you yesterday. We have housed an angel once before who wandered into our territory by mistake. Others were here to barter for his release within hours, but no one will be coming for you will they?"

Matthew covered his face with his hands to hide the tears and Sebastian's slow easy strokes continued. "It's alright young angel. Can you tell me about it? Your…gift I mean? Do people always forget you or can you force them not to see."

Matthew took a shuttering breath and Sebastian rinsed him one last time before helping him stand, wrapping him in a towel and leading him towards the bed to sit so he could brush his hair. "I have always been this way. People never know I'm there….I speak…and no one can hear me. I don't know why I'm like this. Why I'm just invisible to everyone. My own friends have a hard time remembering me when I'm around and they completely forget when I'm gone…I learned how to turn it down. To let people see me you know, it didn't work that well but it was better…and in turn I learned how to force them to forget." Matthew swallowed hard fighting back tears.

"I see…how often are you sent out to scout in demon territory?" Matthew sucked in a sharp breath and Sebastian chuckled. "You were not lost like the other angel we housed here. You knew where you were. You were dressed for battle. And with your gift…I can imagine you were often sent out to dangerous things assuming no one would be able to see you anyway."

"Why are you doing this?" Matthew asked clinging to his towel like a lifeline.

"Brushing your hair?" Sebastian asked feigning confusion. "Well someone has to do it and it keeps me from having to prepare everyone else's dinner." The little black skinned demon laughed.

"Why are you tormenting me!" Matthew asked standing and spinning around to face the goat man.

"Tormenting you?" Sebastian asked tilting his head. "Why child I was only trying to talk with you…though for you that may be a strange thing isn't it. If no one ever sees you it must always be like you are outside looking in even when you are sitting right next to them."

"STOP IT! I have a good life damn it! Don't you dare pity me demon!" Matthew yelled but Sebastian didn't waver.

"You poor child." Sebastian replied.

"STOP LOOKING AT ME!" Matthew screamed tears pouring down his face. A blank look crossed Sebastian's face. The man seemed confused about why he was in the room and looked down at the blush in his hand and looked around again eyes passing right over the slightly shaking Matthew.

"Sebastian." Holland's voice came from the doorway making Matthew whip around to face him. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry sir I can't seem to remember what I was doing…" His eyes narrowed as if remembering something. "Do you know what I am doing sir?"

"You were helping Matthew." Holland replied motioning to the still shaking man.

Sebastian's eyes flicked over to Matthew before the haze that was in them cleared. "Oh my…You are strong aren't you." He said before smiling. "How very interesting."

"You can go Sebastian the rest of the night is yours. I can watch him." Holland said walking into the room and setting fresh clothes on the bed.

"Thank you sir." Sebastian said standing and heading for the door. He gently patted Matthews arm as he passed making the angel flinch before shutting the door behind him.

"I am going to suggest you stop doing that to Sebastian. He is a good man and I don't want you messing with his head." Holland said before he too headed for the door.

"Please just let me go." Matthew whispered hanging his head.

Holland paused walked up to the angel and lifted his chin. "Let you go back to what exactly?"

Matthew lowered his eyes again and Holland sighed before placing a quick kiss to Matthew's cheek. "Go to sleep." He said gently before swiftly leaving the room.

Matthew stood still for a long time listening to the silence of the room, just trying to get his head back on right before quickly pulling on the fresh set of clothes. Matthew resigned himself to crawling defeated back into bed to cry himself to sleep hidden in a cocoon of a demons goose down blanket.

!#$%^&*()P_+!#$%^&*()_

The next morning Matthew woke up slowly. His head was killing him from crying last night so when the first gentle touches of morning sun reached him he was determined to roll back over and go to sleep but something seemed off. He couldn't place his finger on it but then it hit him. It was a smell. Light and fresh barely noticeable, but there. Realizing what it was that had been bothering him Matthew took a deep breath trying to figure out what the scent belonged to. It was lovely and smelled like the outside. Flowers.

Matthew frowned at the category his brain had dissected the scent into wondering why he would be smelling any type of flower when there were no plants in Holland's rooms. Opening his eyes Matthew had to hold back a gasp.

Lying on the side of the bed beside Matthew was a bouquet of flowers. Tulips to be exact. They were beautiful bright colors of orange and yellows and reds and tucked between two of the flowers was a note. Matthew sat up and pulled it out placing the flowers on his lap. On the note was only one sentence and a signature in masculine hand writing.

I will always see you.

Holland

There was a fluttering in his chest that Matthew couldn't place so he tucked the card under his pillow to keep from rereading it a hundred times and stared at the flowers again.

"Good morning young sir." Sebastian said entering the room making Matthew flush at being caught. Sebastian paused seeing the flowers and tilted his head. "Where did you get those?" He asked.

"I don't know." Matthew lied. "They were on the bed this morning."

Sebastian's eyebrows rose but he smiled as if something pleased him. "You have an admirer then it seems." He cooed before starting to walk again. "Would you like me to get you a vase for them sir? It sure would bring a little life to the room."

"No! Throw them away." Matthew said trying to crush both the butterfly's that seemed to have multiplied now filling both his chest and his stomach, and the blush that was climbing its way up his ears.

Sebastian chuckled and placed a pair of cream colored form fitting pants and a lose white top on the bed next to Matthew before pausing. "You ate some of your food." He said softly eyeing the plate that had been picked at. He smiled widely at Matthew and patted his hand. "That's good. That's very good young angel." Matthew blushed again looking down at his flowers again. He had woken up in the middle of the night unable to sleep from the hunger pains and finally given in munching at the fruits they had been bringing.

"Oh Master Holland told me to offer to let you go to the library today if you were feeling up to it."

"Library?" Matthew repeated.

"Yes my young master loves to read. He collects books from all over the world…some may not be to your liking both there are some others I know you will enjoy." Sebastian said picking up the old plate of food as he headed for the door. "Oh and you will be fitted for clothing today." He added.

"What's wrong with the clothes you bring me?" Matthew asked.

"Oh these clothes will be for the party." Sebastian replied.

"What party?" Mathew narrowed his eyes to hide the sudden panic he felt.

"When a demon adds a new member to his or her housing list they will generally host a conference so all other demons in the area know who the new member belongs to. To show who's protection they have. It's very important especially with you being an angel and all. We wouldn't want some stranger marking you and calling for a higher claim then Holland. Lord only knows what would happen to you then if Holland couldn't protect you."

"What do you mean?" Matthew asked. "Someone could steal me from Holland?"

Sebastian blinked innocently. "Didn't you know? If another demon gives you a demon mark they will have the right to steal you away from us and drag you wherever they live."

"I thought this conference was to show other demons I have Holland's protection!" Matthew squeaked.

"Oh it is." Sebastian nodded. "And most demons will except it and move on. By the greedy ones…" Sebastian said leaning in like a coconspirator. "They will see you…flightless and devastatingly beautiful and want you all for themselves. They will try and mark you to overrule Hollands protection and try to steal you. Demon law says they can."

Matthew swallowed hard at the images in his mind of a giant demon pinning him down drooling and as it leaned in to bit him. "But…isn't there anything Holland can do to stop them?"

"No." Sebastian said sadly shaking his head.

"That bastard is keeping me here, seals my wings and can't even promise to keep me safe from other demons!" Matthew yelled.

"Well…there is one way." Sebastian said slowly as if the thought was just coming to him. "If Holland were…to give you his demon mark no one could overrule that. You would be completely safe."

"When is this party being held?" Matthew asked feeling himself break out in a sweat. The idea of being bitten, of having a demon mark him made him want to retch.

"Oh we still have a week and a half. I just like to have things ready so we don't have to rush." Sebastian said with a smile. "I will be back with breakfast in an hour alright." Matthew nodded dumbly and watched the little demon leave.

Sebastian smiled to himself as he walked down the hall. He had planted the seed in Matthews and Holland's minds there was no need for him to press the matter forward any more would look like he was pushing.

He was positive the two of them were meant to be even if they didn't know it yet. He chuckled shaking his head at the silliness of the young, he was getting too old to play match maker. Sometimes you just had to call in back up to scare the hard headed to see how right they were for each other. "Your turn." He said under his breath as he walked past a shadowy corner. Red eyes appeared before the shadow shifted away like it was never there.

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	6. enter shadow

Gilbert cared for few people. He had lived to long a life. Long enough have learned that caring for everyone only hurt you and helped no one. So he chose the people he would care for as carefully as a tactician would chose men for his squadron.

No mistakes.

No one who was undeserving.

Picking the wrong people could get you hurt or killed and if Gilbert was going to be willing to die for the people he cared for they needed to be someone worthy.

His brother was his one. He had raised Ludwig since he was a child and Gilbert himself had still been obscenely young. He loved him unconditionally and without question. Even when he had gone crazy. Even when he had come home covered in blood shaking so bad he looked like there was an earthquake rattling his frame from the inside out. Gilbert had helped him.

Helped him wash off the blood.

Helped him into bed.

And helped him by getting rid of the bodies.

It had been too late of course. God had sent someone to punish Ludwig and punish him they had, but Gilbert had tried. He risked being accused as an angel killer as well by hiding their mangled corpses. He risked his life to pull Ludwig out of their burning home when he'd returned to find it up in flames.

After the fire Gilbert did his best to comfort his sick younger brother. Did everything he could to build them a new home. A new life. And he would do it all again, because Ludwig had gotten better. He was healthy, his mind was his own again and that alone made any risk worth it to Gilbert.

Antonio and Francis went hand in hand on his list. They were his best friends. Had been for as long as he could remember, helped him to his feet more times than he could count. It was Antonio who had warned him of his brothers trips into the angel's territory when Gilbert was away and it was Francis who had warned him that and angel was coming to punish his sibling giving him time to return and save him. They were always there. Francis had been his first kiss. Antonio his second. No physical love had ever really come of it but it had meant the world to him. They showed him that Demon and Angel were only titles. That he could be more than just a cursed name and evil eyes that would always show his bloodline.

Holland was on his list as well. Holland was not someone who Gilbert had always been friends with. They drank together from time to time. Smoked a little weed nothing serious. Spoke at any conference they were both at though Holland was always quiet. He didn't speak very much to anyone. But Holland had given him his first piece of land when he was raising Ludwig and then his second piece after the house burned. Holland had showed him how to gain lesser demons trust so they would work in his household and how to keep it by protecting them. Then when Holland had caught him and Antonio giving refuge to Francis when the angel had been wanted for the death of a high ranking demon lord and in need of a place to lay low for a while, he hadn't turned them. In fact he had taken Francis into his own house and had him smuggled back into angel territory until everything had been died down. It was then that Gilbert added Holland to his list. Because Holland cared for everyone who asked for it and even some who didn't so Gilbert reasoned the man needed someone to care unwaveringly for him in return.

This brought him to the last person on his list. A brand new name. Matthew. Gilbert knew nothing about Matthew. Only that he was the angel who had tried to kill his brother, but he bared him no ill will for that. What Ludwig had done…wasn't something Gilbert could totally wrap his mind around so he couldn't imagine how a holy creature would feel about it. Killing Ludwig must have seemed reasonable, like putting down a rabid dog.

The only real thing Gilbert knew about Matthew was what Sebastian told him and that was that people never seemed to see him most of the time, making him a little withdrawn, and that he was the one who could be Holland's partner. Holland's other half and if that were true Gilbert would do anything in his power to make it happen. But those things weren't what made Gilbert add Matthew to his list.

No, what made Gilbert add Matthew was what he was watching now.

The Angel was half dressed when Gilbert slipped his way into the room. His pants were pulled up but not zipped or buttoned as if he'd gotten distracted half way through. His arms were wrapped around himself as his fingertips gently rubbed two darker spots on his back where it looked like the base of a set of wings should be. In the center of his back was a seal Gilbert had seen on Francis's back before. It was to allow an angel to put away its wings when needed and just as easily pull them back out. But this seal had been edited, locking Matthew's wings inside no matter how much he tried to do otherwise. The angel looked so completely lost standing there wingless, Gilbert couldn't have not cared for the blond if he'd wanted to. No one should look so depressingly alone.

Purple eyes looked up into a mirror that was perched on Holland's dresser before dropping his arm's from his back and staring at himself. He reached a hand up to touch his right cheek before frowning and rubbing at the skin till it was red like he was trying to scrub some feeling away before growing still again. His hand slid down from his cheek before resting against his collarbone.

Gilbert smiled. Matthew must be thinking about the Demon Mark. The angel's breathing picked up pace and the red eyed demon could smell fear roll off him. The idea of trusting a Demon to keep him safe by scarring him with a bite mark that would never go away must terrify the poor angel. "Damn it!" Matthew cursed before his fist went flying forward shattering the glass. The fear evaporated replaced by anger.

He brushed glass off his fist before pausing. Glass shards were now covering the flowers he had set on the dresser and he looked torn because picking them up to clean them off or crushing those too.

The angel seemed so dejected that Gilbert just had to add him to his list. His newly acquired angel was about to get a little tough love.

Gilbert dropped out of his shadow into the open and Matthew simultaneously whipped around throwing two shards of glass making Gilbert pull out his sword knocking them away before he rushed forward pinning Matthew on the dresser. "Release me!" Matthew hissed as Gilbert sheathed his weapon.

"You are a pretty little thing aren't you?" Gilbert said eyes running over Matthew's bare chest. "I had heard Holland was keeping a flightless little bird in his house but no one told me how completely edible you were." Gilbert ground his hips suggestively between Matthew's thighs and in turn the angel made a strangled panicked noise his body going tense.

"What do you want?" Matthew ground out between his teeth.

"I came to see if you were worth my time." Gilbert replied. It was the truth actually. If he had deemed Matthew unworthy of Holland he wouldn't have even bothered to show himself. "And to see if you were already marked."

Matthew's eyes went wide and Gilbert could smell the fear again before something in those eyes shifted and the fear settled back down again. Matthew had just decided to kill him. Gilbert smiled widely; he had seen that look before. He knew when a hunter had settled the internal chaos that comes with killing another man and had made his choice. He would die before letting some demon mark him. Well that was fine. Gilbert's job wasn't to mark the boy, though he did smell fantastic. It was only to scare him into asking Holland to do it.

Gilbert leaned forward holding tightly to Matthews pinned wrists breathing over his exposed neck. "I can tell you're not marked. That's too bad for Holland. You're going to come with me now little birdy." What happened next was expected but still painful. Matthews heel slammed down into the back of Gilberts leg making his knee slam into the dresser in front of him allowing Matthew too jerk his other leg up and force it between their bodies before kicking Gilbert with enough force to knock the air out of him and send him into the far wall. Gilbert hit the wall and groaned in pain before Matthew was on him again. The demon's hand shot up just in time to stop Matthew from jamming a large piece of the mirror into his chest.

His hand throbbed as the glass bit into his palm and came out the other side. "Son of a bitch!" He howled before closing his fingers, grabbing Matthews hand from around the makeshift weapon and using his new hold to roll them so he was pinning Matthew to the wall when the door kicked open.

"What the fuck!" Holland rawred and Gilbert turned to see him about to back up from the angel when he was tackled onto the bed. Matthew sat on Gilbert's waist keeping him still before snapping a part of the glass off lodged into his hand and went to bring it back down across his throat. Gilbert's eyes widened before the angel was suddenly lifted away from him leaving an angry looking Holland staring at him with a struggling Matthew hooked under one of his arms. "What are you doing?" Holland asked evenly, amber eyes narrowed.

"Playing?" Gilbert offered with a lopsided grin making Holland sigh and shake his head setting Matthew down and pushing him up against the wall. "Stay." He said firmly keeping his hands on Matthew's shoulders so he wouldn't go for Gilbert again. Matthew was shaking he was so angry and he let his hand fly on its own punching Holland across the face.

The larger demons hand slammed against Matthew's throat pinning him as his fist pounded into the wall next to Matthews head making a hole. "You are testing my patient's angel." He growled trying to keep his anger suppressed as best he could as blood slipped down his chin from his busted lip. "Stay right here and do not fucking move. Do you understand me?" Holland released him before Matthew could even try to respond, expecting his words to be followed before turning his angry eyes on Gilbert.

The Shadow Demon smiled sheepishly as he sat up on the bed. "I was just so curious Holland."

"I should kill you Gilbert. I really should." Holland said the anger leaving his eyes already. He could never stay mad at Gilbert the man was to charismatic.

"Oh Holland you knew I would come see him as soon as you let me in the house today don't lie." Gilbert said playfully.

Matthew's eyes narrowed. "You know this piece of shit?" He asked Holland.

"Yes this piece of shit happens to be a friend of mine." Holland replied shaking his head again eyes never leaving Gilbert who pouted at him.

"Oh come on don't be like that I'm awesome!"

Matthew looked at the silver haired man sitting on the bed taking him in before running their fight through his head again. He counted at least seven times the Demon could have bitten him. The shadow demon was smart. Matthew could tell there was a killer hiding behind that mask of cheesy smiles. The man knew how to move, and how to fall least painfully and he carried a weapon of master craftsmanship. Matthew could tell there was intelligence behind those demonic red eyes. He had no doubt that the demon was smart enough to know if he had wanted any chance of biting an angel there would have been no talking until the job was done.

Conclusion – The demon had been toying with him.

Toying with him or not Matthew was rattled. Seven times. He could have belonged to some random demon seven times over. His body was shaking as it came down from the adrenalin rush making nauseous. He noticed Holland was looking at him carefully as if checking for injury before he turned back to Gilbert.

"You have glass in your hand." Holland said taking the other demons hand in his to look at the wound Matthew had inflicted. Holland flipped the hand over and looked at the sharp tip that was poking out the back before raising an eyebrow. "What did you do?" He asked Gilbert.

Gilbert smiled widely again and rubbed at the back of his head. "I was just messing around Holland I swear I didn't realize he was so touchy was all."

"I am going to strongly suggest you remember how touchy he is next time." Holland replied.

Gilbert nodded with a heavy sigh. "Threat received loud and clear man. I won't play with Matthew any more unless he asks me too." He shot a wink at Matthew making the angel flush bright red.

"I'd kill you." Matthew hissed making Gilbert laugh. "You're so moody." Gilbert replied before hissing in pain as Holland tugged at the glass in his hand.

"Grit your teeth." Holland instructed. "This is going to hurt more than when you let your brother top you." Gilbert scowled and opened his mouth to tell Holland to go suck a dick only to let out a howl of pain so loud Matthew winced.

"Son of a bitch you cock sucking piece of shit!" Gilbert hissed before caterwauling throwing his head back when Holland yanked the glass all the way out. Holland looked the glass over before tossing the bloodied thing aside. Gilbert was clutching his hand to his chest with his legs now pulled up onto the bed as he glared at the ashy haired blond. The taller male held his hand out wanting to take a look at the wound again and Gilbert made a noise in the back of his throat that Matthew had no definition for. It was a part cat's growl, part harpy hiss, and part crazy double vocal cord sound. The shadow demon apparently did not take well to having things ripped unceremoniously from his skin.

"I need to heal it Gilbert stop being a bitch." Holland said sounding slightly annoyed.

Gilbert huffed but stuck out his bleeding hand allowing Holland to take it in his and drag his tongue across the albino's palm.

Gilbert smiled at the horrified look on Matthews face as he watched Holland lick up all the excess blood and then keep licking at the wound.

"Francis looked at me just like that when I lick one of his wounds for the first time." Gilbert said to the angel watching as he quickly schooled his features to give nothing away as he met Gilberts gaze. "You know…Francis kinda looks like you actually. Not a lot. Just the hair I guess. All wavy and pretty and shit."

Matthews eyes narrowed. "You know Francis?"

"Well ya." Gilbert said relaxing as his wound started to stitch back together. "I've known Francis for like…ever!"

"You're…Gilbert?…Francis's Gilbert?" Matthew asked eyes widening. "The one who helped him sneak back home all those years ago?"

"Well I just hid him. It was Holland who got him home, but ya I'm the one." Gilbert said smiling widely as Holland released his hand and wiped at his mouth to clean it.

Matthew eyes darted between the two men looking completely shocked. "You never told me you-"

"You never asked." Holland replied cutting him off. "Gilbert since you want to butt your nose in all the time you're watching Matthew the rest of the day." He said walking towards the door.

"What! But Holland I have to get home!" Gilbert protested.

"Should have thought about that before you came over." Holland replied before stopping at the door before hesitating. There is a cold front coming in a few days. They are calling for snow…I can take you outside…if you wanted." He said before glancing back at Matthew. "Because you said you liked the cold."

"Really?" Matthew asked and Holland nodded. "I would…I would like that."

Holland nodded before shooting a warning look at Gilbert who held his hands up in mock defeat with a chuckle making Holland roll his eyes. "Be good." He said giving both Matthew and Gilbert a firm glair making Gilbert smile wider and Matthew sigh like he was put out before he left the room.

"You two are amazingly cute." Gilbert said to Matthew who scowled and pushed away from the wall grabbing his discarded shirt off the floor and pulling it on before zipping and buttoning his pants.

"Do you really know Francis?" Matthew asked stopping to look at the red eyed demon.

"Yes." Gilbert replied.

"He…trusts you. He told me he did." Matthew said slowly as the gears in his head started working. "Would you help me?"

"Depends on the help." Gilbert replied leaning back on his hands behind his back.

"I need to get out of this place."

"Not happening." Gilbert said cutting Matthew off shaking his head. "You agreed and spoke your oath to Holland for entering his territory uninvited and unprompted. I help you I could get in some serious shit."

"But-"

"Matthew…I can't help you leave. Holland is a good man. You just need to give him a chance." Gilbert fell quiet when Matthew lowered his head in defeat. "How about this? How about we leave this room. We can go to the library. The kitchen. We can explore the house and the creepy ass attic. It will give you a chance to try out some new exits and I won't be in any trouble for helping you leave the house."

Matthews eyes widened in shock as he looked up. "You're going to help me get out of here?" he asked.

"No." Gilbert replied. "I'm going to let you sneak out of the house there is a huge difference because I have no doubt that Holland will catch you every time. If you do get away well…you're better than I thought."

Matthew narrowed his eyes in thought. "Alright…alright let's explore the house." He said with a small smile that Gilbert returned.

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	7. Help me

It had only been ten days since Gilbert and Matthew met and the angel had tried to escape at least thirty times.

Matthew screamed and struggled the first few times Holland had caught him and brought him home, but quickly changed tactics in excepting his fate and plotting out his next route he would try.

Gilbert crackled like a fool every time Matthew was hauled back into the house and Matthew would flip him the bird. Apparently the two were becoming fast friends. Holland wouldn't say he was jealous, but he did want to crack Gilbert's skull every time Matthew flashed a coconspirators smile at him. Or he saw Gilbert dragging Matthew around the house by his hand. Matthew wouldn't even let him touch him without flinching.

Holland sighed again. The snow had finally come in, and Holland would never forget the look on Matthews face when it had. He was out retrieving the other man again, he had actually made it pretty far that time, when the big fat snowflakes started falling from the sky. Matthew had completely stopped walking forcing Holland to stop as well and held his hand out catching a few and watching them melt against his skin.

Holland had told him to hurry up because they were still a ways off from home and the snow was already starting to stick and cover the ground and they weren't wearing coats. Matthew had quickly fallen in step but his head swiveled around watching the snow fall in amazement like he hadn't thought it would snow in a demons realm.

"When it gets higher can we go outside again?" Matthew had asked. His voice so soft Holland had almost missed it. He shouldn't reward him for running away but the angel was looking at him with almost pleading eyes and it was the first time Matthew had asked him for anything but to be let go. So he'd agreed.

Once they got home Holland had a warm bath run for them, Matthew had stopped complaining about the heat of it and actually seemed to relax a little in the water if he was on the other side of the tub as Holland. After the bath Matthew dressed quickly and spent the rest of the day sitting in Holland's office staring out his window at the snow that was steadily growing higher and higher. Gilbert had even come by later that day and still Matthew didn't leave the window. It wasn't until late that night when Holland was finish up his work that he noticed the snow had stopped coming down and Matthew had fallen asleep in the window seat, his left cheek pressed against the glass.

Holland considered carrying him to bed before Sebastian had come in with two coats and smiled. "You did tell him you would take him out sir. And the moon is giving off quite a bit of light. I bet he would like it if you took him out for a walk." Holland sighed but gave a crooked smile. "Go get some boots for us please."

Holland gently shook Matthew awake and purple eyes blinked open tiredly at him before landing on the coat being offered to him. "Would you like to take a walk?" The angel had scrambled up more excited than Holland had ever seen him jerking on the offered boot and coat and letting Sebastian fuss over him giving him a hat and gloves and a scarf and buttoning the jacket all the way up to his throat. Once outside Matthew blew out a huff of air watching it coil out in front of him due to the cold before quickly walking with Holland crunching through the knee high snow. When they were a good distance from the house Matthew shot a glance backwards and started pulling off his hat and gloves. "Don't tell Sebastian." he said quickly as he dropped his coat on the ground with his scarf and gloves and hat before jerking off his boots and rushing ahead before Holland could protest and dropped down into the snow. Holland scowled and walked up to the man who was lifting his arms up and down and spreading his legs out and bring them back in repeatedly. "What are you doing?" Holland asked watching the man move around before he lay still in whatever it was he'd been making. "I'm a snow angel see!" He said before busting up into a fit of laughter. "A snow angel!" He repeated before laughing harder as tears started to fall and his laughter started to sound more like sobbing. The lack of his wings was taking its toll on the angel just as Sebastian had said it would.

"You're going to get sick." Holland said gently squatting down by him glancing at his bare feet. "Or get frost bite."

Matthew's laughter/sobbing died down and he looked at Holland, face turning slightly red from the cold and his tears started to frost on his lashes making them harden and shine a little in the moon light. He was beautiful. "Can I just lay here a while?" He asked.

Holland frowned concerned about the way Matthews clothes were going to soak in the snow and freeze him before he sighed and laid back in the snow himself. If Matthew wanted to lay out here in the snow then so be it. It was the least Holland could do. Matthew smiled brilliantly at him and Holland felt something in his insides twist before he looked away.

Since that day Matthew stopped glaring at Holland every time they passed each other. He wasn't exactly friendly but he wasn't blatantly hostile either. It was worth the scolding Holland had gotten from Sebastian later that night when he'd carried the sleeping angel back to the house still missing his winter-wear skin flushed red from the cold.

Currently Matthew was out in the courtyard. Since the snow had come all he wanted to do was be outside in it. Gilbert was not at all pleased by this and would bundle up in five layers before following the angel outside and pointing out places in the wall he could try and escape from. Gilbert wasn't here today though and it was the first time Matthew was allowed outside on his own. He had promised to just sit and read some book he'd stolen from Holland's personal library. It wasn't like he would get far even if he did try and leave. Holland wasn't sure if Matthew knew it but every time the angel got far enough away his light presence that Holland could sense if focusing for it would dim. Holland sighed and rubbed at his temples. No one had come for Matthew yet and he was getting far to accustomed to chasing the angel down and bringing him home. To bathing with him and eating with him and watching him sleep in his bed even if he was forcing himself not to spend the night there himself.

Gilbert had one night recently. Holland could hardly believe his eyes when he'd been heading down to the kitchen to get an early breakfast and say Gilbert slipping out of his bedroom closing the door softly behind him rubbing at his eyes tiredly as if just waking up before slipping away in a shadow to go to his own home.

Holland wasn't going to say he was jealous. Or resentful. Or envious. Or bitter. He had no reason to be. Once he was contacted by the angels and was given compensation he would return Matthew where he belonged and he wouldn't ever see his beautiful purple eyes again. Holland growled at himself and crushed the possessiveness that was growing in him for the wingless angel.

!#$%^&*()_+!#$%^&*()_+

Matthew breathed in the cool air around him contently hardly focusing on the words written on the page in front of him. The party was going to be tomorrow evening and he had a sick sense of dread starting to fill him. Matthew knew other angels who dealt with demons on a regular basis. Angels who made treaties and shook hands and ate meals with them. Matthew was not one of those angels.

He was an enforcer. The only contact he had with demons was when he came to end their vial existence. It took all his efforts not to open a level five angel level and try and destroy this whole house. The only thing that held him back was his lack of wings. Almost all of Matthews fighting techniques were based around his ability to fly. Matthew sighed hanging his head. Who was he kidding. Matthew had no motivation to kill anyone in this house. Not Sebastian who took care of him better then he took care of himself most of the time. Not Seychelles who turned an interesting shade of silver when she came outside to play in the snow with him. Not Gilbert who mocked and teased and was overly friendly and spoke as if they could be friends. And not Holland. Holland who gently kissed Matthew check every time he retrieved him when he was trying to escape. Holland who Matthew couldn't deny he found unbearably attractive even when he had his demon horns out and his tail was whipping around in annoyance. Holland who filled Matthews dreams every night making him wake up sweating and panting and unimaginably embarrassed.

Matthew shook the thoughts away and sighed walking towards the front gate. He could try and run again but it really wasn't much use. He wasn't dressed for the weather and even if he did get away he would die before he got home. The sounds of far off screams startled Matthew so bad he jumped. The screams were coming from the woods just outside the gate and Matthew's eyes widened when he hear someone begging for help.

Without thought Matthew pushed the gate open and ran towards the cries for help. His search didn't take him far. He was just deep enough in the woods that he couldn't see the house when he came upon two young men. The shorter one with silver hair was the one screaming His hand was stuck to the side of a jet black kelpie trying that was trying to back up into a hole it had made in the ice covered pond. The other male had his arms wrapped around the silver haired boys waist and was digging his heels into the ground refusing to let go keeping the water horse from drowning the sobbing trapped boy. Matthew walked forward slowly pulling angel power within himself. "Release him." Matthew said to the horse.

"This does not concern you angel. Be gone!" The demon horses voice rolled through Matthews mind making him feel sick before he lifted his own hand reaching for the kelpie.

"Don't touch it! You will just stick to you too." The silver haired boy said.

"Be calm." Matthew said gently. "He will not harm me." He placed his hand upon the horses flank and its skin began to shutter and it let out a loud whiny backing up quickly as its skin melted away from the boys hand freeing him.

The horse raged stomping its hooves before it changed form sinking back into the water shattering the ice around its hole so a giant black wave rose up out of it. Matthews eyes widened in shock before grabbing both boys to him and ducking down to keep them protected under him. "Protection!" He yelled. Light spilled from his back just as the black wave crashed down on him making him scream in pain as the goo tried to stick to him so it could drown him and the boys. The black mass ran off his skin in broken down globs slinking back into the water to try and heal itself.

"Bastard." The blond boy muttered standing up and glaring at the pond with pale blue eyes. "Die." He held his hand out speaking a demon word before green light spiraled out from his hand slamming into the pond blowing all the water out of it leaving a crater in his powers wake. Matthew rolled onto his side coughing up black gunk and moaning in pain. His back felt like it was on fire. He opened his eyes to find the silver haired boy looking at him. "Norge…Is this the angel?" He asked. Blinking innocent purple eyes at Matthew tilting his head to the side.

The blond came back into view looking down at Matthew with a bored look on his face. "It would seem so, Ice."

"Matthias is gonna be pissed." The boy known as Ice said suddenly looking panicked before 'Norge' knelt down to get a better look at Matthew. "Forget Matthias, Holland's gonna blow a gasket." He said expression never changing. "That was stupid of you Angel. Why would you fight a kelpie without trying to kill it from the start?"

Matthew coughed up more of the black gunk curling in on himself before a hand touched his forehead. "Shit…Ice go get Su. We have to carry him back to the house." Matthew groaned in pain again before gentle hands lifted his face and lips sealed over his. The pain in his body dulled and soon he was sleeping off to sleep.

Review!


	8. party

Matthew sat up with a gasp and a large hand steadied him against his chest. "H-holland." He said looking up and meeting the amber eyes of the demon. "W-what happened?"

"You left the yard." Holland said frowning. "You promised you wouldn't."

"There were people in trouble! I couldn't not go and try and help!" Matthew insisted as Holland stood fixing pillows behind his back to help him sit up.

"You didn't even know them Matthew." Holland said sitting again frowning harder.

"What difference does it make! Where are they? Are they alright." Matthew asked looking around suddenly worried.

"You could have died trying to saving them." Holland said leaning back in his chair.

"I couldn't just leave them Holland! Would you have let them die!" Matthew demanded glaring at the other man.

"Why couldn't you just leave them? It wasn't your problem." Holland insisted making Matthew furious.

"They are people! Just kids. You expect me to-"

"They are demons." Those three words made Matthew stop mid rant and blink shocked. "Norge and Ice. Brothers who live with a friend of mine." Demons…He had risked his life to save two demons. When Matthew thought back on it he had known. Humans didn't wonder into the angel, demon realm. At least not alone. And they had no wings of an angel. He had known they were demons and hadn't even spared it a thought. They were just two people who had needed help to live.

"Oh God." Matthew said hand covering his mouth as nausea rolled over him.

"Easy." Holland said gently touching Matthew shoulders. "You're alright."

"Oh God I feel sick."

Holland gently lifted Matthews face so he was looking at him. "You did the right thing Matthew."

"I don't save demons!" Matthew yelled trying to shove Holland away. "I kill them! That's what I do. It's my purpose."

Holland held tightly sighing heavily before giving Matthew a firm shake. "You are more than your job Matthew. You are more than your species. You said it yourself. You couldn't just leave them when you realized what was going on. They are still those boys you saw begging for your help. What does it matter what side of the god damn line they were born on! Bird or snakes we are all just trying to survive."

Matthew searched Holland's eyes as he spoke. Such conviction. He was deadly serious. Matthew felt his panic ease replied by a strange calm. He leaned forward without thinking about it and placed his lips over Holland's.

This kiss was just like the first one they had shared outside on Matthews first day in captivity. Matthew felt his insides instantly turn to mush when Holland wrapped arms around his waist and pulled them together as he leaned forward meeting him half way. Matthew couldn't think. He could hardly breathe. All he wanted was to kiss the man before him forever. To hold, and be held, and be remembered for once in his life.

Holland's hand slipped up Matthew's shirt but didn't go much further past the hem gently touching the angels hip and side just feeling the skin for what it was. Not groping or kneading the flesh trying to gain something more sexual but just touching. Appreciating it, making Matthew feel like he was being worshiped. There tongues twined together in an endless dance around one another. Trying to taste more of the other as if they both might disappear at any minute. At some point Holland had all but climbed onto the bed pressing their bodies even closer together. Matthew was positive to be any closer they would have to fuse into one being.

It was perfect. Nothing else mattered. Locked in this kiss they had transcended the troubles of their world into someplace new where they were both nothing and everything. Matthew wasn't sure he had ever felt so complete in his whole life when suddenly he heard laughter and he jerked away smacking his head on the headboard behind him.

Holland chuckled reaching a hand up rubbing at the back of Matthew's skull where he was sure he now had a knot the size of Texas. But that didn't matter because Holland was smiling and it made things in Matthews chest flutter which was almost as distracting as the tingling feeling he was getting on the back of his head where the demons finger tips were rubbing. "I'm sorry." Matthew breathed out.

Holland's smile dulled a little, but still reached his eyes as his hands stilled before he pulled himself off the bed and back into his chair. "I'm not. I'm not going to lie all I have been thinking about was kissing you after I found out Norge did to heal you."

Matthew swallowed at that before laughter filled the room again filtered by glass. "Who is outside?" He asked deciding to ignore the blatant come on Holland was doing to him. No one usually went outside unless he was out there.

"It's Ice and Norge and Tino." Holland said pulling back the curtain so Matthew could look outside at the three playing in the snow. Well. It was more like Ice and the blond haired boy Holland had called Tino were playing, throwing snowballs back and forth. Norge was sitting off to the side drinking a steaming cup of something looking mildly bored. "It was Tino's husband was the one who carried you back here."

"Tino's husband?" Matthew asked frowning looking at the blond again. "I thought Tino was a boy."

"He is." Holland replied leaning back in his chair getting comfortable.

Matthew frowned harder. "Then he can't have a husband."

"He does." The demon lord replied shrugging.

"In the eyes of God-"

"Su only has to be Tino's husband in Tino's eyes." Holland said cutting Matthew off making him blush. "No one else has to agree. No one else has to think it's right. Only them. You will see when you meet them. When people love each other that much how could anyone say it's wrong for them to be husband and wife."

Matthew had no reply for that. At least not one that wouldn't make him feel like an ass hole so he kept his mouth shut and looked back out the window. "What else?"

"What else what?"

"What else can you tell me about them?" Matthew asked pointedly ignoring Holland's surprised look. "I should know something about the people who saved me."

"Well…Ice is the youngest of their group."

"How many are there?" Matthew asked standing up and walking up to the window to look at the little group better.

"Five. They are Matthias's brood." Holland replied rocking back onto two legs of his chair so he could keep watching Matthew. "There is Ice, Norge, Tino, Su, and Matthias himself. Tino and Su are together. Have been since…well forever. Norge and Ice are brothers and Norge and Matthias are secretly together."

"What's that on Tino's neck?" Matthew asked and Holland didn't bother looking to see what he was talking about.

"His demon mark."

Matthew's eyes widened at that. "What!"

"It's is demon mark Su gave him." Holland replied watching Matthews reaction. "He all about had to beg Matthias to let Su give it to him."

"Tino begged to be marked?" Matthew asked looking disturbed. "Why would anyone want to be…owned like that?"

"A demon mark doesn't make you belong to someone." Holland said frowning. "It's a show of protection, of trust. Su wore Tino's mark for years before he was allowed to give his wife the same gift."

Matthew scowled at that trying to wrap his mind around it. "Why would Matthias not want Su to mark Tino but let Tino mark Su?"

Holland sighed at that. "To understand that you would need to understand Matthias. He found the idea of Tino being able to protect Su as funny. He figured if they wanted to play house that was fine with him and if Su wanted to get his ass kicked now and again because he wore the mark of a lesser demon then that was his problem but Tino…If Matthias let Tino take Su's mark it would mean they could leave him. It would mean they held no tie's to him and no longer needed his protection."

"But couldn't have Su just left once he got Tino's mark? If he was strong enough to care for himself why stay?" Matthew asked tilting his head and crossing his arms.

"Su would never leave without Tino." Holland replied. "And as long as Matthias kept Tino safe there was nothing they could do."

"Why wouldn't Matthias just let them go?" Matthew asked glancing back outside at the laughing young man.

"Because he loves them." Holland said sounding sad. "He loves them so much that he couldn't bear the thought of them leaving him forever."

"If Tino now has Su's mark why are they still around? Why not leave and live on their own?"

"I can't say for sure…but I think Tino is afraid of what it will do to Matthias. Matthias is a good man but he has been alive a long time. His mind isn't always with him and when things don't go his way he can get…aggressive."

They sat in silence a moment as a rather serious looking man wearing glasses came out side pulling a hat down over Tino's ears and handing him a mug of something steaming. Tino smiled blissfully happy with the treat and touched the man's arm speaking his thanks before kissing his cheek blushing a little when Ice made gagging noises.

"What made him change is mind?" Matthew asked.

"Who?"

"Matthias…what made him allow Su to mark Tino?" He asked watching as Tino leaned comfortably against the new comer Matthew assumed was Su.

Holland was quiet a second before standing joining Matthew at the window. "Norge. He promised to let Matthias give him a demon mark if he let Su finally mark Tino."

Holland had been there the day it happened. Matthias had been in a rage when Tino had come to him asking about letting Su mark him. The demon lord had kicked over the large solid wood dining room table they'd been sitting at. He had taken his ax to a wall making Tino duck his head down but not back down as tears streamed down his face. Matthias grabbed the boy up by the front of his shirt and screamed and raged, demanding to know why Tino was so desperate to leave him.

Su had stood up to cut in but Ice and Holland grabbed his arm stopping him. If the bespectacled man tried to stop Matthias when he was this angry the demon lord would kill him. They all knew he would. That was when Norge had walked in. The blank faced man took in the scene in silence before speaking. "What are you doing?"

"They are trying to leave me Norge! They are trying to abandon us!" The spiky haired blond looking completely devastated as he dropped Tino letting him stumble back two steps.

"Matthias…what if I never leave you." The smaller blond asked never braking eye contact even when Ice gasped.

"You'll let me mark you?" Matthias asked breathlessly eyes wide. "You will wear my Demon mark forever?"

Norge nodded pale eyes calm. "You let Su mark Tino and I will in return let you mark me." Norge, in a sudden show of compassion coming though his ever calm surface, caressed Matthias cheek before lowering his voice. "So even if the whole world leaves you. I will still be here forever." He said touching his forehead to Matthias's.

"I don't see a mark on Norge though." Matthew said bringing Holland out of his memory.

"A demon mark doesn't have to go on the neck. Most like it there because it is a statement, but Norge is not one of those people. He wears his on the inside of his thigh. It's intimately personal to him and that means more to him than any statement could."

"Why do you know so much about their demon marks?" Matthew asked.

Holland shrugged not willing to tell Matthew that he had been there and watched Matthias pin Norge to the ground had seen the smaller man's eyes gained more than its normal bored look, filling with panic when the demon lord tried to bite his neck. The blue eyes man had screamed shocking them all enough to make the whole room go still as he lay below Matthias panting trying to gain back his ever present calm. "N-not my neck. Please." Norge wrapped his arms around Matthias's neck pulling him down to whisper in his ear. When he released the larger man they looked at each other a moment before Norge nodded his 'go ahead' and Matthias jerked at his pants. Ice made a strangled noise in the back of his throat and Su picked up the smaller boy quickly exiting the room taking Tinos hand along the way. Holland followed shortly after them but not before witnessing the way Norge's fingers wrapped in Matthias's hair urging him southward pulling his left leg up and to the side and his face relaxed completely for once filling with contentment in place of his regular annoyance as Matthias sunk his teeth into flesh.

Holland spent the following forty-five minutes sitting in the main hall with Ice sobbing into his shoulder before Norge showed himself fixing his shirt back into place. "Why are you crying Brother?" Norge asked touching his brothers head making him jerk upright.

"Y-you're-"

"Still right here." Norge said cutting his brother off tugging on a piece of his hair. "Nothing has changed."

The man on his lap was smaller than Holland, but by no means a child so when he jumped up pulling Norge into his arms, crying more against his brother, this time in relief, Holland was more than a little relieved himself.

"Has Norge bitten Matthias?" Matthew asked finally leaving the window heading back for the bed.

"No." Holland replied shaking his head leaning against the wall.

"Why not?"

"He is saving it I think."

"For what?" Matthew asked climbing under the covers but staying sitting up.

"For Ice." Holland replied thinking of the look of desperation Norge had had when he'd embraced his brother after he'd gotten his demon mark. "He will not give Matthias a matching mark until he can use it to barter for his brother's freedom."

"This Matthias guy sounds like a dick." Matthew said scowling. "Why are you friends with him."

"You don't understand. Matthias really is a good good man…he is just terrified of being abandoned. So much so that the thought of it can drive him crazy." Holland replied shaking his head. "Alright enough of this talk." Holland said waving a hand in the air as if to clear it of all their previous conversation. "Sebastian will be here any moment to take you to get ready."

"Ready?" Matthew asked blinking as Holland pushed away from the wall.

"For the party this evening." Holland said. "You slept right though yesterday. I was a bit worried you were going to try and sleep through your party."

"I'm sorry." Matthew said on reflex and Holland paused by the side of the bed before dipping down and placing a kiss on the angel's cheek before continuing on towards the door.

"I'm proud of you by the way." The demon said pulling the door open and looking back at Matthew who tilted his head to the side confused. "You didn't throw up this time when I kissed you."

Matthew blushed beet red and launched a pillow at Holland who ducked out the door laughing as he went.

Not two minutes after Holland left Sebastian and a worried looking Gilbert came into the room. "Birdy what were you thinking running around the woods taking on water horses? People are going to start to think you are some kinda vigilante or something protecting the weak. You're gonna gain your own group of lesser demons soon you keep that shit up." He said hands on hips looking annoyed.

Matthew smiled and rolled his eyes. "You're so dramatic."

"Now boys we don't have time for this. Your little nap put us behind schedule." Sebastian said tapping his watch. "I will now have to cut your bathing time down and hair stylist appointment to if I want to get us back on track.

Matthew shook his head before Sebastian was pulling him up out of bed. "Come on now shoo shoo I have had them keeping a bath warm for you all morning waiting for you to wake up. Gilbert go with him and see to it that he is relaxed. All the primping in the world will do him no good if he isn't relaxed."

"Does this mean I get to finish bath time with a 'happy ending'?" Gilbert asked wiggling his eyebrows making Matthew chuckled.

"I will kill you." Sebastian threatened without batting an eye pointing them both in the direction of the bathroom. "I will be back shortly after I check the rest of the preparations. You have…nineteen minutes to get clean and relax."

Matthew chuckled again rolling his eyes heading for the tub Gilbert following behind hands laced behind his head.

That was the last time Matthew was laughing, though Gilbert couldn't seem to stop for the next few hours.

Lesser demons were waiting for him in the bath and promptly started scrubbing his skin. Washing and rinsing him like Holland had the first time he was there. The demons dumped mass amounts of beads into the warm water making the sweet smell soak into Matthew's skin as they started to brush and dry his shoulder length hair before he was even out of the tub. Sebastian showed up 18 minutes later demanding Matthew get out and get to his hair appointment.

He ended up sitting the barber's chair wrapped in a towel with Gilbert's laughter following him. The snooty looking hair dresser did a once over of Matthews mane before he started to work blowing the hair dry as he worked some type of product into it with his fingers making it look healthier than it ever had before. Francis would have been pleased. Gilbert said as much before Sebastian was jerking Matthew up and into another room where tiny women started to buff his nails before soaking them and pushing at his cuticles. Two more started on his feet making him jerk.

"You are not painting my nails." Matthew said trying to pull his hands back. "I'm not a girl."

"You are an angel." Sebastian said waving him off. "You must look regal from the top of your head to the tips of your toes and unpainted nails just aren't going to cut it."

Five minutes later they had settled on a soft silver color in place of the pinkish one Sebastian had chosen originally. Gilbert called him a pussy. Matthew kicked him with a newly painted foot.

After that Gilbert left pouting saying he had to go get ready himself and disappeared in a shadow.

The last stop on Sebastian's list had them back in Holland's room clothes laid out on the bed. They fit perfectly of course and Matthew looked at himself in the mirror a little surprised at how well he cleaned up. The white pants that hugged his frame were stitched with black thread to go with the matching white button up shirt which had the same seams.

"Oh wow." Matthew whipped around to find Holland staring at him a crocked smile on his face.

"Oh wow yourself. You clean up pretty good when you're not hunting angels." Matthew replied looking over the attractive demons frame. He was in a dark green button down with the sleeves already rolled half way up his arms and Matthew's feather was still hanging from his earing. Black slacks hugged Holland's ass nicely and went well with the smart looking dress shoes.

"For the record I didn't hunt you. You showed up on my property." Holland said hands on his hips before Sebastian cut in.

"You have one minute to get to the top of the stairs Holland if you wish to be on time." The butler said clearing his throar. "Your guests have all arrived and I must say you will both make quite the entrance."

Matthew blushed and looked at his bare toes before Holland approached him and took his arm. "Don't worry. I won't let anyone hurt you."

"To be honest I'm more worried I'm going to lose it and break someone's nose." Matthew said half-jokingly half panicked as they neared the top of the staircase leading to the ball room. Holland chuckled again making the butterfly's stir in Matthew's chest a little as he kissed Matthews knuckles and released his hand. "You will do fine." He said as they paused at the start of the stairs letting Matthew look across the room at all the people he didn't know when suddenly he spotted someone he did know.

Someone who was supposed to be dead.

The demon lord Ludwig was standing off to the side of the room looking far more in order then the last time Matthew had seen him. His hair was now slicked back and his clothes were clean and pressed obviously freshly starched. There was not a speck of dirt on him but all Matthew could see when he looked at the man was pure bright red angels blood and crazed blue eyes.

"Angel Power. Level…Maximum."

Review?


	9. fight

The earing Holland was wearing tugged gently, drawing his attention from his guest below to Matthew. The angel was leaning forward, arms wrapped around himself and two lumps were pushing at the back of his shirt. "Matthew?" Holland questioned softly feeling the feather in his earing straining to go to the ill looking seraph. The demon lord reached a hand out slowly placing it upon one of the lumps when suddenly whatever was trying to get free released itself in a spray of flesh and blood.

Matthew made a strangled sound as his gore covered wings stretched out of his mutilated back and ruined shirt as Holland took a step back eyes wide. Matthew straightened opening his eyes revealing glowing purple as a light broke out above his head making the lesser demons flee from the room below crying out in pain. Matthews halo formed as an otherworldly wind brushed past him as his power fully opened.

"Angel Power maximum level complete." Matthew said reaching a hand up and grabbing ahold of his golden halo pulling it down from above his head.

"Matthew what are you doing?" Holland asked softly the feather earing dropping back down against his shoulder again now that Matthew gruesome wings were fully released.

Matthew didn't look at Holland, but squatted his body down before throwing himself forward. His wings made one hard push lifting him from harm and splattering blood all over the stairway and banister. Holland watched horrified as Matthew's destination became clear, people in the room running to get away from the crazed angel as he landed before Ludwig who stood deathly still and calm as if waiting for his death. Matthews arm was arched back to bring his halo down across the man throat before he was knocked away by a shadow.

Matthew skidded backwards before he stopped eyes narrowing as Gilbert came into view from inside the shadow. "Matthew? What are you doing?" He held his sword loosely as if unsure is he wanted to raise it at Matthew. The demon looked completely normal standing in his completely black suit, black dress shirt and matching tie holding the fantastically crafted blade.

"I could ask you the same thing." Matthew spit standing up straight again. "Do you know who that man is you're protecting.

Gilbert's eyes hardened. "I am."

"Do you know what he has done! How many of my people he has slaughtered!" Matthew asked taking a step forward and Gilbert raised his weapon gaze not wavering as Holland slowly made his way down the stairs watching the exchange.

"I am." He said again and Matthew looked wounded.

"And still you protect him from me? Why?" Matthew asked growing angry.

"Because he is my brother." Gilbert replied.

Matthew stood silently for a moment before he raised his Halo again. "I am sorry. I cannot let him live."

The angel went to start forward when a battle axe slammed into the ground before him followed by a smiling man with hair parted and spiked to the right wearing a maroon dress shirt. "Can't we all play nice?" He asked closing his eyes and tilting his head to the side in a manner that was meant to be cute.

Matthew glared and flapped his wings once before doing so again harder kicking up wind trying to force the new comer away before the man grabbed ahold of his axe and swung it upwards driving Matthew to jerk backwards to avoid the blade. In the meantime Gilbert hooked and arm around his brother who was arguing with him animatedly before disappearing into a shadow with him. Matthew grit his teeth and cursed under his breath before using his momentum backwards to flip and kick of a wall going towards the ax wielding man when suddenly he was cut off by Norge. The shorter demon held up a hand to his chest before thrusting it outwards to Matthew, a green face spiraled from his hand looking completely demonic. Matthew held his halo out in front of him with both hands forcing more light to pour from the holy object swallowing up the mass burning it out of existence as he rushed forward while the demons were still blinded, grabbing Norge up by the front of his shirt. The blond kicked at Matthew making him drop the smaller man before he jerked his halo upwards dragging it across the youngers chest making him drop as Matthew pushed on towards Matthias.

Matthew was fast but not fast enough to miss the axe Matthias swung nicking his shoulder before he slammed his halo into the demons shoulder. Mathias screamed in pain as Matthew thrust his wings forcing himself into the air avoiding an icicle that was hurled at him.

More and more people were getting involved and that would not do. He though scanning the room for the shadow Gilbert was hiding in when suddenly the lights dimmed and silence fell over the room.

"Matthew…get down."

Matthew's body shuttered at the command before he turned to face the man who was giving it. Holland looked furious. His demon horns were out fully, looping up above his head and back down by his shoulders. The horns were thick and rigid with groves down the entire length reminding Matthew of a rams despite being completely black and the ends having sharp points.

The skin around the demon lord's eyes had darkened to black making his amber eyes look like they were shining unnaturally reminding Matthew of an animals. His wire thin tail whipped dangerously, the tip smacking the floor making it spider crack the tile.

Matthew hissed forcing himself up almost to the ceiling looking down at Holland who's eyes narrowed to slits before he made an animalistic noise back at him baring his fangs in warning.

"Outside! You are going to ruin the house!" Sebastian called from the top on the stairs looking horrified at the mess that had already been made.

Matthew chose to ignore Holland in place of looking at the boy known as Ice who was forming another icicle projectile. He needed to get these bystanders out of the damn way so he could focus on killing the man who needed to die. Pushing off away from the corner he had tucked himself into, Matthew headed for the young silver hair boy whose eyes opened wide before he was grabbed by his wings and thrown into a mirror by Su.

Two horns spiraled up from the top of the glasses wearing man head similar to that of a kudus, matched by the shorter thinner set Matthew saw on Tino when he stood up shaking glass of him as best he could. The shorter man was speaking quickly with Ice who looked less shaken then a minute ago as his brother Norge joined the group touching his head to make making sure he was alright.

"Leave my people alone." Matthias growled making Matthew shift his focus again as the man raised his axe. Horns that reminded Matthew of an aurochs came up and hooked forward coming to aggressive looking points on the side of Matthias's head. Matthew was sure the large bones could skewer right threw a man with enough force.

"Keep your people out of my way and I will leave them alone." Matthew replied showing no sign of retreating lifting of the ground again as light pooled out of his halo forcing the shadows back revealing Gilbert to him who had his blond brother behind him. The shadow demon cried in pain as the light burned his skin but refused to move giving Matthew a chance to kill the demon lord behind him. Matthew placed his Halo above his head again determined to forcibly remove the albino from his path of destruction when suddenly he was jerked back down to the ground by his ankle.

The lights in the room dimmed again allowing Gilbert to hid himself in shadows as Holland wrapped a hand around Matthews throat pulling their faces inches apart snarling. Matthew clawed at his captor's hands trying to get air before he lashed out socking Holland in the eye forcing him to be dropped. Matthew dropped back before driving himself back at Holland taking them both to the ground. Holland kicked him off with enough force to send him through the window and crashing into the courtyard outside.

Matthew groaned in pain. He could feel were glass shards had sliced into his already open and bleeding back from both the mirror and now the window. He lay in the snow a moment shuttering and shaking before forcing himself onto his hands and knees coughing up blood and spitting it out.

"Submit Angel. You are strong and surly would be able to handle one of us but not everyone." Mathias spoke as demons pooled outside. Matthew looked at the blood covered snow below him taking two more panting breaths before reaching for his halo and pushing himself up and receiving a boot to the ribs that sent him rolling. Matthew moaned in pain again and looked at the furious Holland who was looking at him in disgust.

"I have to kill him." Matthew insisted throwing his halo at the group of demons giving him the moment he needed to stand on shaking knees. Matthew caught the Halo when it returned to him and placed a hand against his side. The kick had broken a rib.

A flash of red caught his attention. Blood.

Blood on his halo. Someone had been cut.

Matthew looked up towards the group startled to find Tino bleeding from his wrist to his shoulder. The smaller man had used his body to protect Su who would have been cut in half if he hadn't moved.

Matthew crushed the guilt he felt and raised the Halo again keeping a hand against his aching rib. Holland stepped before the whole group blocking the door and Matthew faltered. Even in his demon form Matthew thought the man was gorgeous, he didn't want to harm him. "Demon…Please move." He called to him.

"I will not." Holland replied. "I will die for them Matthew."

"Holland please!" Matthew said taking a step forward. "I only want one man. All these people…they don't have to be involved."

"One man who is one of our kind. Our kin. It will not happen. Not in my house. Stand down Matthew or I will make you stand down." Holland threatened his voice dropping dangerously low as he bared his fangs again.

Matthew closed his eyes begging that the Holland forgave him for what he was about to do. Matthew pumped his huge wings and lifted off the ground into the air and threw his halo again at the demons behind Holland. He heard the halo cut into flesh as he charged at them.

The halo came back covered in blood meaning Su had pulled Tino behind him as Matthew suspected a 'husband' would do for his 'wife'.

He was headed for Ice when someone grabbed his bloody wings and jerked him backwards intent to throw him across the yard again. But instead of allowing himself to be thrown Matthew hooked his arm around the man as he was about to be dragged past and dug his halo into his back. Wide eyes met Matthews as he looked up. Amber filled with surprised and Matthew buried his face in the man's chest. "I'm sorry." He whispered as his wings fell from Holland's grasp and he jerked the halo out and stepped away. Holland faltered a step trying to stay on his feet and Matthew watched a moment before stepping back and looking at Ice again.

He could take care of the man in a minute right now he had to take care of the others who were bleeding but not out of the game. "Angel defense maximum." He said placing his Halo above his head again as it grew brighter.

Norge was the first to scream and drop to his knees holding his chest. The wound bubbled and hissed angrily. Mathias snarled as he tried to stay on his feet when pain racked his larger frame. He placed a hand over his bleeding shoulder leaning back up against the house.

Ice dropped pulling his knees pulling Norges hands away as his brother screamed in pain leaning forward blood spilling from the wound making a sickening noise as it splattering against the ground.

"What are you doing to them?" Ice yelled looking terrified when Tino fell to the ground sobbing clutching his bleeding arm to his chest followed by Su who went to his knees when blood bubbled from the wound in his side. The man was gritting his teeth so hard Ice could see it straining in his jaw as he fought back his own cries of anguish.

"My Halo." Matthew said motioning to the nimbus above floating above his head. When it cuts into flesh it releases tiny dust fragments imbedding them into the wound. All it takes is one little nick and I can burn a demon with light from the inside out. Matthew flinched when he heard Holland hit the ground scream in pain. The skin around Norges wound was starting to peel back like paper held above a fire would before Mathias started to scream himself. Ice looked horrified as his friends wailed in pain around him he was shaking as Matthew approached him. "I'm going to go in the house now and kill that man in there. If you get out of my way I will not harm you." The Silverlet lowered his head in submission as tears fell down his face and Matthew continued past him.

Gilbert had come out of the shadows since Matthew had been thrown through the window and Seychelles was running an orb of water over his sunburnt looking skin soothing it. The albino looked up hearing Matthew come through the door and pushed the mocha woman behind him with his brother. "I will do her no harm Gilbert. And no harm to you if you'll both just get out of my way."

"I will not move Matthew." Gilbert insisted quieting his brother who tried to speak. "I will not see you killed for a mistake you made years ago Ludwig now shut up!"

Matthew clenched his teeth not wanting to fight his new found friend but started to walk forwards anyway. Gilbert raised his sword in warning taking a step back forcing the two behind him back as well when Matthew reached for his halo again. Gilberts red eyes widened and he lowered his sword reaching a hand out towards the angel. "MATTHEW!"

Matthew felt the pressure before anything else. Tears sprung to his eyes next followed by his nose starting to run. This all registered within a millisecond, but it wasn't until he felt his heart beat brushing the tip of the weapon that had been thrust into his back that the pain exploded through his whole body. He felt the light around him waver and his Halo dropped down so it almost sat upon his head.

"Ice…you can't kill him." Holland's voice, sounding strained, came from behind Matthew and he did his best to look to see the Demon Lord. Holland had his hand gripping the icicle sticking out of his back at the base where the tip disappeared into his body keeping the weapon from piercing him through his heart. Matthew tried to swallow and couldn't, making him up cough up spittle and blood that dripped down his chin. An enraged Ice was holding the other end of the frozen spear crying. "He's killing them!" The young demon sobbed. "He's killing you! Make him stop! Please, please make him stop I can't listen to them scream anymore."

"I will Ice. I promise. But I will not have his death on your conscious. You would never forgive yourself." Holland said as Matthew started to see black in the corners of his eyes. He was going to pass out soon if this kept up.

Matthew thought it felt strange having the ice inside him melting and mixing with the blood flowing from him down his back and legs. A mixture of hot and cold that making him unsure if he should shiver or not when suddenly the icicle was ripped from his back making him scream and fall to his knees. Gilbert dropped down with him catching his before he hit the floor.

"I have to kill him Gilbert." Matthew said weakly leaning heavily on the shadow demon as he lifted a hand towards the blond looking down at him with startlingly blue eyes. "You need to die, don't you understand." He said to the man who looked at him pityingly.

Mathew went to push himself to his feet and Gilbert wrapped arms around him holding him firmly, keeping him still. "Please don't stand again." He whispered. "Holland will not have mercy on you if you stand again."

Matthew rested his head in Gilberts shoulder as his body shook with pain while the demon held him tightly. "I have to." He said weakly. "I'm sorry I have to."

He pushed himself to his feet and Gilbert held weakly to his shirt sleeves staring at the ground. "Oh Matthew." He said almost apologetically as the panting angel reached for his halo again.

Suddenly Matthew was jerked backwards slamming into a wall before Holland teleported over to him holding him there with a hand around his throat. "Turn off your defense Angel or I will make you turn it off."

"It's the only method to keep them out of the way." Matthew gasped as sweat broke out on Hollands forehead as the demon lord fought down his own pain. Matthew lifted a leg, chocking even more before he bashed it into the back of Holland's forcing the demon to his knees. Quickly Matthew jerked up his other leg smashing it into the demons chin freeing making the taller man release him so he could stumble to the side. He flapped his wings twice before he grit his teeth biting back the pain as he lifted off the ground and headed for Ludwig again when Holland teleported onto his back making them hit the floor. "I gave you're your chance Matthew. I am done playing games!" Holland growled grinding his foot into the bloody mess that made up Matthew back as he held tightly to the blood soaked wings. Matthew cried out in pain before his eyes widened feeling Holland start to pull. "S-stop! Stop it please!" Matthew begged when the right one made a loud pop. His back was on fire. He had never felt a pain like it before in his life. Holland scream in pain himself as Matthew put more force behind his 'defense' making the wound in Holland's back hiss as the skin turned back and the blood coming out was a disgusting and clumpy like ash.

Holland bit of his crys of pain as desperation filled him. If He didn't get Matthew to stop soon someone was really doing to die soon. Jerking the left wing to the side Holland lifted his foot off Matthews back and kicked it twice at the joint when it made a sick noise that turned even Holland's stomach turn. The demon lord went to do the same to the other when the halo above Matthews head fell off shattering against the ground into a million shining pieces before it disappeared along with the burning pain in Holland's back. Holland dropped the wings and the flopped uselessly outstretched around Matthew as the angel bawled.

Ice scampered from the room back outside and Holland could hear him talking with Mathias signaling that they were all ok. He looked towards Gilbert Ludwig and Seychelles looking them all over. "Are you hurt?" He asked walking away from his fallen angel to tend to them as they all nodded. "Seychelles, tell Sebastian he can let all the lesser demons out again its safe now and to bring a medicine kit."

"Yes sir." She said bowing quickly glancing at Matthew before running to do as asked just as Mathias and his crew walked back into the house shaking off snow as their horns shrunk now that the battle was over.

"Mathias. I cannot apologize enough. Are you all alright?" Holland asked them.

"Just a little battered my friend." Mathias said laughing. "Nothing like a rousing fight to get your blood going." He joked patting Holland on the shoulder to show there were no hard feelings as Sebastian ran into the room with Seychelles carrying supplies.

"Please Lord Mathias, let me see your shoulder. You're bleeding still." The little black skinned demon said his face swirling with a rainbow of oil colors showing his embarrassment and worry before Mathias waved him off. "See to my people first. A little saliva will heal this."

Sebastian bowed before going to the others. Matthew watched Sebastian whipped clean Tino's arm before Su drug his tongue from one end of the cut to the other making the bleeding all but stop before Sebastian wrapped gauze around it coving whole of the small blonds left arm. When Tino tugged up the side of Su's shirt to lap at his wound Matthew forced himself to look away as he sobbed again in pain.

Holland's attention strayed from the group before him back to the crying angel on the floor. He didn't want to look. He didn't want to feel sorry for what he'd done. He watched when Matthews wings shrunk into his back as the last of his angel power died out leaving him wingless again and looking completely tiny curled up on the pool of blood around him.

"May I?" Mathias asked and Holland looked at the other demon lord only to find his gaze on Matthew as well. "This being your meeting about protecting the angel I figured I should ask before I gave him a polite warming about hurting my people again." The blond said and Holland turned away before nodding. "You may."

He heard Mathias walk up to Matthew and the sound of a boot connecting with flesh and flesh hitting a wall. "Mathias!" Gilbert yelled before Holland touched his shoulder silencing. He could hear Matthew being lifted off the floor and slammed back into the wall before Mathias growled a warning softly as Matthew's crying increased. "Leave them. Let me see you." Holland said lifting Gilberts face to look at the slightly burnt skin. "I am sorry Gilbert I hadn't realized that-"

"It's fine." Gilbert said jerking out of his hold looking embarrassed. "I wasn't much help and it was my brother they were all fighting for so I should apologize to you."

"You kept Ludwig alive." Holland said gently placing a hand on Gilberts shoulder. "And kept from killing Matthew when you were well within your rights and ability to do so." He added dropping his voice to a whisper. "For that I am grateful."

"I was torn." Gilbert admitted, glaring at the floor. "I have never had people I care for fight before. I didn't know who to help."

"You did well." Holland insisted as Mathias joined them. "So what's next on our agenda host?"

Holland sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "It was dinner."

"Dinner sound fantastic." Mathias said smiling widely. "Let me round up the boys and we will meet you in the dining room. Holland nodded before he noticed Gilbert looking past him at something. He turned to see what it was and growled. "SEYCHELLES! Get the fuck away from him!" He snapped at the temperature demon that had been wiping blood off Matthew trying to clean him up.

"But sir-" She said shocked.

"No. He did this to himself so he will suffer with until I say otherwise." Holland growled and when the brown haired woman looked undecided he growled loudly baring his fangs at her taking a step forward making her duck her head and flee from the room.

Holland stormed towards Matthew jerking him up by his arm so he was standing. "Walk." He said giving Matthew a shove. The angel stumbled before catching himself and walking on shaking legs before slipping to his knees. "I can't." "You will." Holland growled grabbing him by the back of his hair and jerking him upright again and giving him another shove.

By the time Holland got Matthew into the dining room everyone else was already seated with food before them waiting for the Lord of the house. "Please, eat." Holland said to the group before forcing Matthew down into a seat next to the head of the table where he took his own place.

Silence filled the room for which Matthew was more than grateful. His ears were ringing and he felt like he might vomit and his body screamed in pain as faded in and out.

"Holland." Gilbert said gently. "You need to let Sebastian stop his bleeding."

"Leave him." Holland said not looking up from the soup he was eating.

"Holland." Mathias spoke up placing his elbows on the table and lacing his fingers. "Not that he is my problem or anything but Gilbert is right. You really do need to-"

Holland slammed his fist against the table making the silverware rattle. "He will suffer as he intended to make you all suffer." He spat.

Matthew felt his eyes burning before the tears brake free and run down his face. A tear drop dripped off his cheek and hit the ground making a soft ping followed by another and then another.

"Silver. He is dying." He heard Gilbert breathe out as the silver tears rolled down Matthews face and fell forming tiny bells that hit the floor slowly and a chair pushed out from the table. He heard someone leave the room before coming back and pulling his chair out from the table. He lifted his gaze to Ludwig's wondering what the man was during before he eased Matthew forward so he was laying partly on the table and pulled his shredded dress shirt from him exposing his mangled back to the air.

"Angels cry silver tears when they're bodies are completely devastated." Ludwig spoke softly. "When the silver falls and forms a drop it will harden and make a bell. It signals the end of an angel if they don't get help soon." A wet wash cloth rubbed gently across Matthews back making him hiss in pain as the blood was cleared as best it could be. Matthew blinked weakly as blackness swam in his vision wondering why the demon he was helping him.

"I am a demon Matthew. I am not a monster. I will not sit by while you bleed out in front of me." Ludwig said.

Matthew imagined the bodies he'd seen that Ludwig had torn apart and the demon met his gaze. "I had lost my mind then. No reason I give you will be good enough for what I did, but I am not that man anymore."

Matthew frowned before wincing again closing his eyes wondering how Ludwig was answering all his questions.

"I can hear your thoughts." Ludwig's calm reply came as he took a dry rag to Matthews back.

The angel's eyes shot back open and Ludwig looked at him calmly. "We all have our gifts. This is mine."

"No I couldn't always control it." The blond answered the mentaly asked question. "I didn't come into my gift until I was a young adult and it was just noise all the time. Peoples throughts aren't clean cut like words or speaking." Ludwig put the wash cloth down and started to roll gaze around Matthews torso. "Thoughts a mix of words and memory's and tastes and smells and sounds all mashed into one little mind that makes sense only to the person thinking. It took me years to figure out how to read minds properly and make sense of what it was that I was hearing and feeling. Learning to shut it off…that was not something I learned to do until after the massacre."

"Yes that's why I killed them but not the reason your thinking. I used to work for a group that specialized in the treaties of demons and angels, but it wasn't just the mass noise that came with meeting with all these people. It was the thoughts they had. They wanted to kill us. Kill my people and my brother and my kind. Foul thoughts. I know now it was only because they feared us that they had these thoughts. That thoughts are different then a person's actions. Paranoia drove me to kill them. "

Matthew frowned listening to the soft spoken man and wondering what it would be like to be in a room with people who were supposed to help you and hear what they really thought before imagining driving his halo through Ludwig himself. Ludwig nodded slowly as if listening to him talk. "I understand that it is hard for an angel to get away from what they have learned about demons their whole life but I want you to think of something for me." he said standing and helping Matthew sit back up again. "Have you ever heard bad things about the people who win a war?"

Matthew knew the answer immediately. No

"That is not because the winner was the one that was right, but because the winner is the one who writes the history books. When the demons were kicked out of 'heaven' we became immortalized as evil. As Sin. We are violent at times." He said looking around the room at the demons in it before looking at Matthew again. "And maybe we even seem a little barbaric to you. But we are just trying to live as best we can. You cannot tell me that you have never been barbaric yourself Angel Matthew. You who they send to kill demons before anyone even knows you have come."

Matthew swallowed hard as tears continued to fall. He closed his eyes trying to organize his thoughts and pictured humans in his mind.

"Yes…yes angel we are exactly like humans." Ludwig said.

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	10. Bite me

"Tino, I need you to look him over and give me a list of injury's." Ludwig said turning away from Matthew to face the demon on the other side of the table.

The normally pleasant looking man scowled and Ludwig sighed apparently reading the younger man's mind before speaking again. "I know you do not want to. But if you would be so kind." Ludwig said motioning to Matthew who was looking ready to stop breathing at any moment. Tino made a face that was more of a pout then anything stood up and blinked twice as if clearing his vision before he looked at the dying angel.

"Injury's; Dislocated right wing, not present. Broken left wing, not present. Cracked rib right side. Multiple torn muscles in back. Left shoulder sprain. Bruised left hip and knees. Internal bleeding. Collapsed left lung. Blood in right lung. Severe blood loss. Uncountable foreign objects in back of neck, arms legs sides and back. Lacerations in all previously mentioned locations due to foreign objects entry. Two large tears on back. One hole in back. Concussion. Two shattered ribs in back left side. Body going into first stages of shock. That is all."

"Prognosis?" Ludwig asked.

"Death."

Matthew felt his body jerk at the emotionless statement as if his is brain had shot a signal to all his nerves in an attempt to keep himself alive that much longer. He was going to die here and no one back home had even known he was gone. No one would even remember he had existed.

"Chances of surviving if left unattended?"

"Zero."

"Chances of surviving with immediate care of a doctor?"

Hesitation as Tino ran his eyes over Matthew again and calculated. "35 percent."

Ludwig sighed and rubbed at the back of his head. "Under the care of a demon?"

"Depends on the care." Tino replied crossing his arms.

Ludwig narrowed his eyes in warning and Tino looked away. "Tell me what would be needed to insure his survival the best way possible."

Tino didn't speak for a moment and Su reached a hand over and touched his arm making him instantly relax. "He would need demon saliva. Not just on the wounds but injected into the skin to heal the internal damage, straight from the fang when it is at its strongest potency. He would need rest and lots of it and not just one bite but several over a few hours' time. His body is losing its heat to so he would need to be kept warm preferably comfortable and all the glass under his skin would need to be removed or it will just rip open the skin again."

"Thank you Tino." Ludwig said before kneeling down before Matthew touching his arm and drawing tiered purple eyes to him. "Did you hear Tino?"

Matthew nodded weakly his body mostly lifeless.

"Did you understand him?"

Matthew nodded again blinking and not opening his eyes again his body going completely limp with exhaustion. Ludwig sighed and looked at Tino for an answer. "His body is shutting down. He needs his first bite now or he will die."

Ludwig looked up to Holland and the demon stared back at him his fingers laced together as thoughts whorled through his mind. Ludwig listened carefully to all that was in his head. Seeing the two kisses. The uncounted arguments. The bathes and meals and the night they slept in the same bad. The tulips and the sealing of Matthews wings. He watched it all before he stood upright and pulled Matthew up bridal style in his arms. The angel would die before Holland ever got through his guilt of having to bite the damn thing. "If you will not Holland then I shall."

The spiky haired blond was up from his seat in less than a second snarling in rage and sitting back down with an angel shoved into his arms the very next. "You need to get over your hang ups Holland. He will forgive you given time. He does not want to die yet." Ludwig said before turning on his heel and walking towards the door.

Su stood next taking Tinos hand and heading for the exit before Gilbert stood looking torn between staying and running from the room as fast as he could.

"I will watch him Gilbert. Don't worry." Mathias said smiling at him. The shadow demon flushed with color that had nothing to do with his sun burned skin before he disappeared into a shadow fleeing. Mathias chuckled and Ice got up pointedly ignoring the angel when he looked at Holland. "Thank you…for…" Stopping their screaming. Stopping me from killing an angel. Stopping the pain. It all went unsaid but Holland understood and nodded. "You're welcome."

Once Ice was out of the room Holland looked at the only two left. "Get out." He said blank faced holding Matthew closer to him. He could still feel a slight heart beat and ragged uneven breathing. He had a little time left.

"Holland. Your angel has lost mass amounts of blood. What you are about to do is not a simple bonding bite." Mathias said seriously leaning forward on the table before he pushed his chair back from the table but didn't get up. "You have never marked anyone before. You don't know how…blinding it can be." Mathias looked at Norge apologetically and the man rolled his eyes. "Idiot." He muttered before standing and walking over to Mathias sitting on his lap now that everyone else was gone.

"I nearly killed Norge when I bit him. He had to fight me off." Mathias said brushing a hand against Norges cheek. The stoic man's face never changed from its normal boredom, but Holland saw him lean into the touch. "The only thing that stopped me was his tears. He cried so hard…I had never seen anything like it…" Mathias seemed to have drifted off into a memory before he looked up again a moment later smiling sheepishly. "Your angel won't be able to cry though. He will not be able to fight you off." Holland scowled holding Matthew closer thinking it unimaginable that he would ever not be able to stop himself from draining the angel. "Listen to me Holland I can see it in your face you think I am bull shitting you. Or that you think it wouldn't happen to you. But it happens to everyone. It happened to Tino. It happened to Su. Binding is a game only the strong survive and he is not strong right now.

I realize that this is not how you wanted it. I'm sure you would have preferred Matthew asking you to mark him, looking at you with those big needy purple eyes of his while you were making love, but that's not what life gave you. Life gave you a pissed off angel with a grudge against our kind a hundred miles long who can hardly swallow the fact that he likes you let alone that he wants to jump in the nearest bed with you, and he is dying. Right there in your arms Holland! And you hesitate because of an audience. This is not going to be your dream, but he will live and that will give you time to make more."

"I hate you." Holland growled and Mathias shrugged. "Hurry up Holland his heart slows even as we speak."

Holland looked down at the angel in his arms. Matthew wasn't curled against him in need. He wasn't shuttering for breath just begging to be cured. There was no way for Holland to romanticize it to make what was happening better.

The angel was limp in his arms, his body completely ready to shut down and end itself and his skin was growing cold. It was not beautiful like the movies where the hero must save the perfectly dressed completely beautiful madden from death. Matthews lips were white, his skin looked like ash and he was covered in blood from head to toe most of it his own. His back was torn to shreds and blood was starting to come through the bandages Ludwig had given him. Nothing about this moment was beautiful. Some might argue with him that it was macabrely beautiful but he could not see it as his arms stained with the other man's blood.

Holland's fangs were already out from being in his demon form there was no more need to procrastinate. He pushed plates out from in front of him and set Matthew on the table pulling at the side of his gore covered jeans exposing the V that made up his hips. He crushed the feeling of guilt eating him before he descended biting into flesh. His top fangs sank into the dip where hip met leg and his bottom teeth pushed into the side of his hip. There was hardly any extra flesh on Matthews hips making Holland wonder if he crushed his teeth down harder if he could snap the hip bone under his jaws.

Blood filled his mouth and it was just as sweet and pure as the last time he had tasted it only better because it came straight from the vain. Holland took a deep breath through his nose and moaned as the flavor covered his tongue before he swallowed his first gulp down. It was so thick Holland could feel it coating his whole throat down to his stomach. He bit in a little harder he could feel his own 'vemon' pulsing out of his fangs into Matthews body and being carried away to heal what it could. Only second later he felt Matthews heart give a fluttering pump before it evened out into hard solid beats. The veins healed, slowing the bleeding but the muscles were refusing to repair themself just yet. Holland could tell Matthews back wounds hadn't sealed up either. Tino was right he was going to need multiple bites to bring his body back to the way it was. Holland gulped down another mouthful of blood and groaned softly again pulling the angels body closer. He was so so sweet. Nothing could taste better than Matthew he was sure of it. He swallowed twice more and felt a hand on his shoulder. "That's enough." Mathias said gently and Holland growled back in response his jaw tightening around the flesh in his mouth. No one would take Matthew from him. Not now that he finally had him. Not now that he could taste everything he had been missing. Mathias grip on his shoulder tightened and Holland growled louder in warning. "You are taking too much Holland. You are going to force his heart to stop." The low pitched growling became snarling when Mathias tried to ease Holland back before suddenly a bar was shaved between his mouth and Matthews skin and it jerked up forcing his jaw to open. Matthew was pulled to the center of the table by Norge who was standing on said table and Mathias hooked his arms up through Holland's to hold him in place when the demon lord lunged towards the angel being taken from him wanting to sink his teeth into his exposed throat next. "Release me!" Holland howled in rage, straining to get back to the still bleeding angel.

"HOLLAND ENOLUGH!" Mathias yelled. "Look what you have done already." Holland's eyes were drawn to Matthew's hip only to have his rage drained from him in an instant. The mark on Matthew didn't look like it should. Most demons when they marked one another left only their four fang marks as those were the only teeth that had the healing venom and created the bond. Two on top, two smaller on bottom. The mark on Matthew's hip looked like an animal had sunk his teeth in and tried to eat the flesh there. Thirty-two perfectly imprinted teeth marks stood out startlingly against Matthew's unbroken pale flesh around it. It was oozing blood from all thirty-two marks and Holland suddenly felt like he might vomit. "I'm sorry." He said softly going limp and Mathias helped him fall back into his chair. "It's alright." The tall man said ruffling Holland's spiky hair. "You did pretty well. I hear it's harder to stop drinking from an angel.

Matthew's body jerked on the table and his back arched up as his eyes shot open and he gasped for breath like he was surfacing from being under water to long. "His lungs are trying to heal." Norge said when Holland looked concerned. "Are you alright now?" Holland nodded and Norge jumped off the table and pulled Matthews body back towards Holland so the demon could pull him into his lap. "He needs to be kept warm. Preferably by you as your body heat will be what he craves when he finally wakes up."

"Thank you." Holland said weakly and Norge nodded before looking up to Mathias. "Stop grinning at me like a fool and be useful. Go get them a blanket and bring the others back so Tino can see how much healed and when he needs a bite again."

Mathias chuckled and leaned down kissing Norge's cheek. "Ok ok." He replied walking out of the room.

"Why the hip?" Norge asked once Mathias was out of the room. Holland didn't look up. He just held Matthew close listening to his heart beating strongly in his chest and his rattled breathing as his body started to heal. His skin gained a little color and he was now curling against Holland snuggled against his chest his body eating up the warmth it was getting from the demon. His eyes had closed again once the initial intake of air, but at least he wasn't limp any more. Holland though rocking the body a little holding him as tightly to him as he dared without hurting the angel. "Holland?" Norge asked touching his face to make him look up. "Focus, or you start to crave the bite again. Why did you choose the hip? Why not the neck it would have been easier."

Holland forced himself to listen to Norges soft spoken words and worked even harder to understand them before he replied. "Because…He can hide it if it's there. No one ever has to know."

!#$%^&*()_~!#$%^&*()_+

The second bite was the hardest thing in the world for Holland to do. It was an hour later and he could have bitten in a second spot but then it would have been two scars he'd given to the angel.

But seeing that disgusting looking mark he had already left made him want to puke his guts out. He was afraid he would latch onto the tender skin and slipping back into his crazy thoughts again and never stop drinking. Mathias promised him that it wasn't going to be as bad the second time. He said the first time was always the worst. Apparently the man had never drank from an angel because it took Su, Mathias, Gilbert and Ludwig to pull him off and pin him down while Tino, Norge, ice and Sebastian took Matthew out of the room before he calmed down again.

Sebastian came back into the room a moment later and Holland was back in his chair hanging his head, face buried in his hands. "My Lord…Tino has suggested that Matthew be given a bath to wash away the extra blood so we can try and get the glass out before you heal his cuts."

"Thank you, Sebastian I will do it." He said standing weakly rubbing at his head to ease the headache he was getting.

"Your back is still bleeding." Gilbert said frowning at the blood that had run down the back of his shirt and pant legs.

"It's alright. I will take care of it in a while." Holland replied. "Sebastian can wrap it when I get out of the bath." The shadow demon scowled not convinced before but let it go. You need to bite him again in two hours." Tino said writing on a piece of paper. "I would suggest that be your last bite for today. From that point on he will have to heal on his own or his body will have too much demon saliva in it and try and fight it off. If he heals as I expect him to he will need a bite from you every two…three weeks. He will be able to tell you when he feels himself getting sick."

Holland looked stunned at that. "Every two weeks! For how long?"

Tino looked up from his writing and blinked. "Well for as long as he wants to live I suppose."

"What the hell are you talking about! You never told me he would have to-"

"Ludwig asked me how to insure the angel's survival. In his state this was the only way." Tino replied.

"You did not tell me-"

"You did not ask." Tino replied with a shrug cutting him off.

"There, there little tiger why don't you go out to play." Mathias said ushering Tino out of the room away from Holland who was looking furious.

"Don't be too made at him Holland he gets this why after near death experiences." Mathias said putting a hand a Holland's shoulders and guiding him towards his room and then into the bathroom. The tub was full and Matthew was still out cold but naked and in the water already with Norge keeping his head above water.

"You're not leaving the room are you?" Holland asked with a sigh and Mathias snorted a laugh patting his shoulder. "Nope sorry. You need to be watched until the last bite then the effects will wear off and you won't feel the need to bite him so badly."

Holland sighed again and tugged his clothes off dropping down into the water and taking Matthew from Norge placing the angels shredded back against his front so he could wash the cleaner parts of him first. The water around them became tinged pink and Holland grit his teeth when he flipped Matthew around so he could wash his back. The bleeding had stopped but it was still a complete mess where his wings had forced through the skin. Instead of the clean sliding threw he had seen most angels have when they pulled out their wings Matthew had forced his out and it was like his back exploded under the pressure. Skin in some places was barely hanging on, and deep gouges marked the place where the wings had sat before disappearing again. The hole from Ice's attack had closed up after the second bite, but Holland could tell the muscle underneath that had been torn was still trying to stitch itself back together. Holland was carful through the whole cleaning doing his best to get off dead skin but not hurt Matthew any more in the process. The last thing he washed was the horrid looking bite mark. Most of the excess blood had been washed away without his help but he finished the job by running a wash cloth over the shop slowly. He wasted to heal it. To run his tongue up it to put saliva inside and push the heel of his palm on it forcing the skin to rebuild and become a scar but it would only hurt more when he had to bite into it again. It was best to leave it open until his last one.

"All done?" Mathias asked draining the nasty looking water and turning on the faucet so Holland could rinse them one more time in clean water. Holland nodded and rinsed himself and Matthew before getting out of the tub and wrapping them both in a towel. "Do you think Su would help me get all this glass out of him? I think I got a lot of it in the water but I want it all out before I take my tongue to his back."

Mathias nodded. "Sure." He replied. "I will get him on it right away."

~!#$%^&*()_+~!#$%^&*()_+

It took Su forty-five minutes to dig all the shards out of Matthew with the help of his flesh penetrating glasses. Even sleeping Matthew's body twitched as the shards were pulled out of him and Holland sat next to the bed watching the whole thing unable to make himself get up and just leave Su to his work. It was his punishment for having caused so much pain. For not having thought Matthew might react the way he had to seeing Ludwig.

After the third bite, which ended up actually being easier than the first two; at least the letting go part not so much the convincing himself had had to part, Matthew finally opened his eye and Holland had never felt so relieved in his whole life. "Hey." He said weakly and Matthew blinked tiredly at him, but didn't pull away looking relaxed, if not a still a little ill, in the demons hold.

"Master Holland I'm sorry but he just wouldn't wait at the door." Sebastian said rushing into the room followed by a man in a tan coat who looked taller than Mathias and Holland. His silver hair was covered in snow that he hadn't bothered to knock off yet and his boots were dripping water all over the room. Everyone rose at the entrance of the intruder not knowing what to expect before he spoke. "You have Matvy here. General winter told me so."

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	11. lie to me

Matthew looked up from his place in Holland's arms and groaned. "Why is it Ivan, you always show up when I look like shit?" Matthew asked pushing himself out of the demon lord's arms and his bed, standing weakly on his own legs. "And you always talk about weird things." He said taking a step forward before his knees buckled. Gilbert caught the angel before he hit the floor helping them both ease down till they were sitting. "Are you alright?" he asked and Matthew waved him off panting for breath. "I feel like I fell of a cliff." Matthew said placing a hand over his chest.

"But General winter did come to me Matvy." Ivan insisted making the angel look up from his place on the floor. "He told me you had gotten into a fight. He brought me these." Ivan held out his hand and two silver bells rolled forward ringing when they tapped against one another. Matthew stiffened and Ivan's childish looking smile gained a darker edge. "Did they hurt you comrade? I can…take care of them for you."

"NO!" Matthew yelled drawing Ivan's wondering, malicious eyes back to him. "They didn't do anything. It was…a miss understanding."

Ivan tilted his head to the side as if considering the answer before his purple eyes left Matthew and landed on Gilbert who was still on the floor with him. "Who are your…friends?"

"This is Gilbert." Matthew said taking a deep breath trying to fill his only working lung. "He is a friend Ivan. You understand?"

Ivan smiled widely and nodded. "Are they all friends?"

"Each in their own way." Matthew answered. It was best not to lie to Ivan. The man could smell a lie a mile away and did not take kindly to being toyed with. Ivan did not mean to be harsh but he had a violent streak that could flare up out of nowhere. Matthew had never been on the receiving end of one of these moments, but they did often come up on the smaller angels behalf when Ivan felt Matthew needed protecting.

"I was not aware you made a habit of visiting demons Matvy. When did this happen?" Ivan asked generally curious.

"I thought you were opened minded Ivan." Matthew said avoiding actually answering as he leaned back heavily on Gilbert growing more tired his body craving warmth in a way it never had before. The albino demon gave off some body heat but it wasn't what he was looking for, though he couldn't quite place where he would find the heat he needed.

"I am. I am Comrade!" Ivan said chuckling before leaning forward and lowering his voice to a stage whisper. "But it is common knowledge that you are not."

Matthew sighed and closed his eyes growing too tired to keep them open. "I have been here a month Ivan. Have you not noticed me gone?"

"No one notices you gone." Ivan answered truthfully with a shrug.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Gilbert snapped drawing Ivan's attention again and making Matthew open his eyes in worry. "How can you be so casual about forgetting someone! About always forgetting him!"

Matthew noticed the growing interest in Ivan's eyes. The giant man enjoyed people with spark. Someone who would be a challenge, that's why he hung around Matthew's brother all the time when he wasn't with Matthew himself. "To be fair I forget him the least." Ivan replied smiling widely again. "Do you always remember him?"

Gilbert stayed quiet and glared back at Ivan before Ludwig touched his shoulder in a calming gesture. "Help Matthew into bed. He needs rest."

Gilbert drug his eyes from the giant in the room and helped Matthew stand before handing him off to Holland. The demon took the angel in his arms and was a little surprised when Matthew curled up against him and let out a sound of contentment as if he'd found something he'd been missing.

"It's your body heat." Tino said explaining. "It's like…feeding off a different person then the one you have marked. It will give you energy but nothing feels as right as feeding from the one who belongs to you. He craves your body heat as…" the young blond hesitated looking at the new comer before he finished. "I would crave feeding from Su." He said in place of Holland feeding from Matthew.

"What happened to Matvy that he is so ill looking? And that he cried the tears of death?" Ivan asked. "And who are you to hold him so familiarly?"

"I am the Demon Lord Holland and this is my home. Matthew has been living with me for the past month as part of his oath for entering my land without prompt or reason. We were waiting for someone for your side to come barter for his freedom." Holland replied relaxing against the headboard feeling Matthews breathing even out in a sign that he was asleep.

"And he is wounded because."

"A miss understanding is all. Things got…a little out of hand but we handled it and everything is fine now." Ivan nodded slowly thinking over the words.

"You know…I am not like some of the other angels you have probably met." The purple eyed man said softly. "Matthew was raised in this part of our world. He believes unfailingly in 'The Word' despite the fact that no one has ever seen 'God'." Holland frowned not sure where Ivan was going with this. "I on the other hand am from a part of the world that knows our kinds, angels and demons, are not so different at all. Where it is common knowledge what happens right after a bond is made using a demon bite. So I am going to politely suggest…Comrade…that you rethink what you are and are not telling me before I decide for myself how to handle this situation. Da?"

Holland pushed down the bile that rose in the back of his throat from the threat and narrowed his eyes. "Alright." He said slowly and held up a hand when Mathias reached for his axe. "Alright then Ivan, was it? Matthew tried to kill Ludwig and I would not let him. He opened his full angel power, hurt several people and we were forced to use violence to suppress him and even then he would not stop. By the end of it he had tried nearly killed five of us before we were able to make him shut his power down and he was near the brink of death. I bite him to save his life."

"Now that sounds like a more believable story." Ivan said smiling again.

"Now you tell me. How did you know Matthew was here?" Holland asked.

"I told you. General Winter told me. He tasted Matthews blood in the snow and saw the fight outside before he came to me with Matthews bells." Ivan said innocently.

"No one sees general winter he is just a myth." Norge spoke up, arms crossed.

"He has always talked to me." Ivan replied with a shrug. The others didn't look convinced but Holland sighed knowing they would get no other answer from the silver haired man. "Sebastian could you make up a room for Mister Ivan, please?" The demon lord asked. "Please Ivan feel free to stay with us for as long as you wish."

"You know you can't keep Matvy here forever." The angel said calmly ignoring the invite and Holland went tense pulling Matthew closer.

"We can discuss it later." Gilbert said hands on his hips red eyes narrowed. "Right now, if you plan on staying you need to stop dripping that snow shit all over the damn place." He said storming up to the taller man and roughly pushing the melting snow out of his hair. "You are getting the whole fucking house wet! People have to clean that shit up you know."

Ivan looked down at the shorter sliver haired man and his smile grew. "You are a noisy little thing da?"

"Listen here buddy! I will kill you and rip your spleen out your-"

"Gilbert. Could you take Ivan to the dining room and have the cooks make him something to eat? I am sure he traveled a long way." Ludwig cut in stopping his brother from finishing whatever foul threat was about to come out of his mouth.

Ivan's blinked twice in quick succession. "Food?' He asked and Ludwig nodded. "I'm sure Holland wouldn't mind. Ask them for anything you like and they will make it."

Ivan's eyes flicked to Holland and the man shrugged. "I have great chefs. They would enjoy preparing anything you wish if you are indeed hungry."

"How much can I have?" he asked eyes growing wider.

"As much as you like I suppose." Holland replied.

"You will take me there?" He asked looking at Gilbert again. "To the…kitchens and we will eat."

Gilbert looked back pleadingly at Ludwig who narrowed blue eyes in warning at him to 'play nice' before he sighed. "Fine." He muttered walking out of the room. "Follow me."

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	12. Fallen

Ivan walked behind Gilbert watching the other man move silently. He was an interesting man. The way he had his hands shoved into his pockets casually, though Ivan was positive there was a weapon of some sort lying within their depths. His steps looked lazy, but perhaps it was due to his shadow walking nature that he couldn't force them to be loud as he wanted, and Ivan could see the shadows on the wall licking at the back of Gilbert's heels with every step. A place to hide with just the thought and the albino would melt into the darkness. The demon walked ahead of Ivan again giving off the air that he wasn't worried about the threat and angel obviously presented to him but his head was lowered to the ground staring to hard, allowing him to focus completely on every noise Ivan made. The man was not stupid and it pleased Ivan greatly as he did not enjoy spending time with stupid people.

"Are you going to eat with me?" Ivan asked enjoying the way the shadow demon tilted his head the opposite side that Ivan was speaking on so he could hear any change in step if the angel was trying to mask an attack with the question.

"No." Gilbert replied.

The silver haired angel tilted his head to the side and picked up his pace so he could walk next to the other man. "No? Why not?"

"Because I am not hungry." Gilbert replied. Red eyes peeked at Ivan and the angel smiled widely making him look away again.

"Not hungry?" Ivan asked blinking innocently enjoying the way he could practically see Gilberts hackles rising. "How is that possible? Well you are a little thing da? Perhaps you just can't eat a lot of food because you wish to stay tiny?"

Gilbert growled turning and slamming the larger man against the wall. "I am only here with you angel, because I am being forced to babysit! So I strongly suggest that you not toy with me as I do not take kindly to that sort of thing."

"How art thou fallen-" Gilbert's eyes widened until there was white surrounding his whole beautiful red iris. He looked so shocked that Ivan chuckled before he dipped his head down pressing their mouths together. Gilbert kissed him back like a starving man given food, hands gripping tighter to Ivan's jacket before he pulled back panting saliva dripping down his chin as he hung to the angel his fangs growing.

"Damn it." He cursed when he heard footsteps down the hall. Shadow fell over them. Ivan wasn't sure how it worked, weather they shrunk to fit into the darkness or whether the dark grew to cover them, but he knew they were consumed by it just as he was consumed by the demon before him.

"Your teeth are the wrong shape." Ivan said lifting Gilberts face to his looking at the teeth in question.

"Shut up." Gilbert hissed. "Shut up or they will here you."

"Your fangs are not for bonding. They are for feeding." Ivan said smiling with his conclusion his thumb tracing over the albino's cheek.

Gilbert snarled before shutting the angel up the only way he knew how. They mouths met for a second time jerking them both out of the hallway and into a bedroom. When Gilbert pulled away from the kiss he took a stumbling step away trying to get a grip on himself. "You _are_ hungry da? Perhaps it is not that you do not want to eat WITH me but you want to actually eat me."

"I don't do that anymore." Gilbert hissed the words out swallowing hard to keep from drooling. With his fangs out it was getting harder to push down the urge to feast.

"The others don't know." Ivan spoke slowly thinking over his assessment. "They do not know what you were. What you are now…It was your eyes that made me think you were a blood drinker. The beautiful red. It is a rare sight to see red eyes on something that isn't an animal."

"I am an animal." Gilbert groaned leaning back against the wall panting as Ivan came closer, his hand wrapped around his middle trying to stop his stomach from cramping with hunger pains.

"It is alright," Ivan said smiling hands up in a gesture of peace as he walked even closer. "if you wish to feed on me." The taller man pressed their bodies together his head dipping low to whisper in Gilberts ear as the saliva finally escaped again running a line down his chin. "Because to be honest comrade…I wish to devour you too."

The next few moments in Gilbert's life were a blur. He wasn't sure how he got from the wall to the bed and had Ivan's large tan coat and button up shirt pulled halfway down trapping his arms. Buttons were rolling across the floor where he ripped the shirt out of his way before attaching his teeth to Ivan's broad chest. The angel chuckled at him and Gilbert ignored it pressing his full body weight on the other man to keep him still as beautiful life blood filled his mouth, coating his tongue and throat. Warmth.

Warmth was the only thing he could think of even as he sucked at the chilled skin of the angel. He wasn't sure how long he drank before Ivan sat up. Gilbert made a growling noise in the back of his throat and the larger man chuckled obviously not threatened as he eased the jacket and shirt the rest of the way off. "Now, now little one. You got some and I will let you have more, but it is my turn to devourer you now."

The next thing Gilbert knew he was lying flat on his back, his clothes being removed as Ivan kissed him senseless. He ripped his mouth away panting for breath. "Incubus! He hissed arching his back when Ivan forced his legs apart. "You are a God damned Incubus."

"Hardly. I just enjoy how expressive you are." Ivan replied smiling widely.

The two wrestled for a while. Gilbert biting when he could, lapping up the blood and Ivan stealing kisses and trying to force the smaller man into submission.

"Fuck!" Gilbert cursed eyes watering in pain.

"When was the last time you bottomed?" Ivan groaned when they finally stopped messing around and he sunk himself into Gilbert.

"Ah God. I don't…I can't remember." He panted. Flashes of brown hair filled his mind. Beautiful long chestnut hair, short dark brown.

"Was it before? Before you fe-"

"Shut up!" Gilbert hissed, snapshots of beautiful wings and the sound of a piano. "Shut up you prying bastard. Just fuck me. Let me feed and we can move on. I can't remember them! I can't remember anything from back then and I don't fucking want to! So just shut up."

Ivan looked down at Gilbert not moving as he held the man's hips, keeping their lower bodies pressed firmly together. "Alright…as you wish then. But Gilbert, while you are with me I want you to only think of me, da? I do not share my things well. "

Gilbert looking into Ivan's purple eyes and there were no flashes anyone else from a life he no longer could recall. "Alright." He agreed looking away. "Fine. Just get on with it Angel." Ivan smiled and obliged.

They didn't make love. They were rough and scratched at each other as Gilbert bit any skin he could get his mouth on and Ivan pinned the smaller man fucking him ruthlessly.

When they laid in the aftermath panting Ivan leaned forward and kissed Gilberts back before the demon sat up quickly jerked covers over his shoulders. "I'm sorry…that I bit you."

"I'm not. When was the last time you fed?" Ivan asked laying on his side hand under his head to lift him up some as he looked at the albino.

"I don't feed…I haven't in years." Gilbert said playing with the seam of the blanket as he tried to glare holes into the ground. "If I eat regular food I am fine."

"But you need it to survive." The larger man said eyes widening before Gilbert whipped around. "It is a sin! To feed of others blood is-"

"Is that why they cast you out, Fallen one?" Ivan watched with his eyes that saw too much and Gilbert felt more naked then he had in his whole life. He imagined himself stabbing those all seeing orbs to keep them from ever seeing him again.

"I don't remember." Gilbert answered weakly. "I forgot everything after I fell. I can't remember what I did that they threw me out, took my wings and made me a demon."

"You know…Back home. My real home I mean, not this 'heaven' as they are calling it on this side of the world I know a man named Feliks . He switches back and forth between angel and demon form at will."

Gilbert scowled. "Blasphemer. Angels are the messengers of God. Demons are Satan's evil doers. No one can switch back and forth at will. Once you fall you cannot re-ascend. "

Ivan chuckled. "You are very much like Matvy. He too doesn't like my talk of the rest or the world."

"It has to be a lie." Gilbert insisted eyes wide and panicked looking.

Ivan nodded slowly before his ever present smile slipped back onto his face and he hooked arms around Gilbert's waist jerking him closer to him and back onto the bed. "Enough of this dark talk. How about you tell me about the relationship you are trying to make between My Matvy and Your Holland da?" Ivan smiled when Gilbert relax into his hold. He was going to do his very best not to break this little fallen angel as it was always hard to find someone to replace the good ones.

!#$%^&*()_+!#$%^&*()_+

Holland ran his tongue up Matthews bare back without feeling the least bit of enjoyment. He could feel the smaller, glass made, cuts healing leaving smooth pale skin in his saliva's wake. Even in his sleep though Matthew jerked at the roughness of Holland's tongue as it drug over his slowly healing wounds.

This was the first time since the fight that Holland had been left alone with the angel. His need to mark and bond with Matthew had quieted greatly after the third time and Mathias deemed him a fit 'caretaker' again. He'd been sending up prayers to whoever was listening for the last half hour that Matthew would just please wake up. He couldn't even start to forgive himself for all the damnage he'd done until Matthew woke from his slumber.

He licked slowly at one of the deeper wounds and Matthews body under him flinched and the blond gasped. "A-ah It hurts." He said weakly his voice think from sleep.

"I'm sorry." Holland said softly placing a hand on Matthews back to keep him still. "It helps heal the wounds."

Matthew turned his head and looked behind him blinking tired purple eyes. "Holland…why are you doing it?"

The demon lord did his best to crush the jealousy that had been filling him for the past few days, but couldn't stop the words from escaping. "Would you prefer if Gilbert did it for you then?"

Matthew sucked in a sharp breath and a blushed covered his cheeks. "No." He said weakly. "I just thought you might be…furious at me."

Holland sighed and ran a hand threw his hair. "I'm sorry." He said getting up off the bed. "I am…very tired…" Silence fell around them and Holland searched for the proper words to apologize without granting Matthew complete forgiveness for what happened.

Matthew made a pained noise as he sat up and Holland moved to help him so he could sit up. "My hip hurts so bad." Matthew moaned gritting his teeth in pain.

"Ah well." Holland replied pulling down the blanket showing Matthew the imprint on his hip.

"What did you do?" Matthew asked reaching a shaking hand forward to touch the scar. The skin still looked red and irritated but Holland had sealed it over after he no longer needed to sink his teeth in. "Holland. Oh God Holland what did you do!" Matthews voice was raising with panic and Holland could see the hysteria about to set in.

The demon took Matthews face in his hands and made the smaller man look at him. "Listen to me Matthew. Are you listening?" The angel nodded as he fought back hyperventilating. "You were dying. Your body was shutting down and the only way to save you, _the only way_, was to bite you and force your body to heal using demon venom. The same venom that we use to make a demon mark."

"You marked me. Oh God you marked me." Matthew breathed the words out, heart beating too fast and his head feeling dizzy.

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	13. bat your eyes

"Mister Ivan that is your fourth plate sir." Sebastian said nervously ringing his hands. The angel blinked innocently at the smaller black skinned demon while shoving another fork full of food in his mouth. "Da?"

"It's just that-" Sebastian reached a hand forward to try and pull the plate half full of food before Ivan made a growling noise in the back of his throat much as a dog would when its bone is about to be taken away. "Um Ivan sir its just you-"

"You have made yourself sick the past three days eating like a pig." Matthew said walking into the room. "Thank you Sebastian I will handle him."

"Very good sir." The demon nodded and shot a look at Ivan and his meal before fleeing.

"You look like shit Matvy." Ivan said chuckling putting his plate down to look the other angel over. Matthew had bags under his eyes and it was hard for him to tell with the way the other man hugged Holland's comforter around himself Ivan was sure he had lost some weight. "Your demon is not going to be happy with you dragging his sheets around the house like that."

"Then he should put me in another room so I can drag those sheets around." Matthew replied drolly taking a seat at the table.

"You are not speaking to him I hear." Ivan said poking at his food before Matthew pulled the plate away from him.

"You have eaten enough." Matthew insisted absentmindedly before sighing. "He marked me, Ivan."

"To save your life, there are worse crimes." The large man said eyeing his food before relaxing back in his chair. "You like him."

Matthew narrowed his eyes and looked up sharply. "It would be a sin."

"That does not control how you feel Matvy." Ivan replied reaching a hand forward and touching his hair.

"What difference does it make?" Matthew asked frustrated standing up and pacing. "I will be gone soon anyway."

"Oh? How is that?" The silver haired man asked raising and eyebrow.

Matthew paused and looked at Ivan as if he'd grown two heads. "Now that you are here you can barter for my freedom. You can make a deal and I can go home."

"I am not an Angel of God. I hold no power in the little games your people play on this side of the world Matthew you know that. The only reason the others let me stay is because I lend a hand from time to time and they feel it is their duty to convert me." Ivan smiled childishly and Matthew could feel his stomach sinking.

"Then go home and get Francis or Arthur or Alfred for Christ sake!"

"I would Matvy, but a storm is coming." Ivan said glancing towards the window.

"A storm?"

"Da, General Winter told me so. You would not have me try and go back to 'Heaven' in a blizzard would you?"

"G-gerneral Winter! You're messing with me aren't you?" Matthew dropped back down into his seat and sighed. "It would not surprise me if a storm did come; they seem to follow you everywhere." Ivan smiled ruefully looking back at Matthew placing a hand over his. "How do you feel?"

The blond sighed. "Better than three days ago. The scars on my back are all but gone. My ribs are healing faster than Tino expected too…My muscles are still sore, I feel…" Matthew held his hands up looking at them flexing his fingers as if testing their strength. "I feel weak Ivan…"

"That is to be expected; you opened your full angel power. Think of what you know. When you open a level one it takes an hour to regain it if you use it all da? This is not little stuff you were playing with this was everything you had and your body was not ready for it. You hurt yourself and they hurt you on top of it. You are lucky to survive, снежинка." (Snowflake)

Matthew scowled at the nickname dropping his hands. "My lung won't heal."

"Your lung?"

"The left one. It collapsed when…"

"When you were having a momentary lapse in judgment? And a young demon was forced to show you're your place." Ivan offered with a sugar sweet smile.

"You can feel free to kiss my ass at any time now." Matthew replied and they both fell into silence.

"How long are you going to keep this up?"

"Keep what up?" Matthew asked frowning as he stared at the ceiling.

"This whole I'm not talking to you thing. You have the upper hand you know."

Matthew looked over at Ivan pulling a face. "What are you talking about? Have you lost your mind? What upper hand can I possibly have here?"

The larger man leaned forward and lowered his voice like they were discussing something top secret. "He _likes_ you Matvy!"

"Likes me?" Matthew mimicked reeling back like he'd been struck. "You have lost your mind haven't you?"

"Nyet." Ivan said laughing leaning back in his chair again. "I hear it from everyone all over the house. He pines for you like a Romeo for his Juliet."

A blush covered Matthew's cheeks letting Ivan know the smaller angel knew already that Holland wanted him. "I fail to see how this helps me."

"You are as dense as a rock. Play on it child. You like him too what would it hurt to flirt a little so he will pamper you while you are here?"

"I don't understand…You want me to…to flirt with Holland so he will, what, give me a softer pillow?" Matthew asked scowling.

"All I am saying Matvy is that is you can stay here fighting with the man forever until they come for you, or you can make this stay a lot more pleasant by batting those pretty purple eyes, swaying those girlishly thin hips and maybe you will see that Holland is not the beast you are convinced he is. Give the man a chance."

"You have lost it." Matthew replied popping a piece of fruit into his mouth looking away, but Ivan could see it had worked and the other angel was running the idea over in his mind. "Why are you still eating like you do Ivan? You know there is plenty of food here. They aren't going to run out."

The larger man stood at that not enjoying the change in conversation. "You know why I do it Matvy…"

"You were starving when we found you out in that snowstorm…but that won't happen anymore. I told you if you stayed with the Angels of God we would always feed you and still you eat like it's your last meal." Matthew said looking up at the taller man.

"I know…I know." Ivan's eyes drifted back to the plate before looking back to the blond. "I just can't stand seeing it go to waste."

Matthew shook his head and stood. "It's alright…You look a little pale Ivan are you alright? I hadn't really noticed till just now."

"Ah just a little anemic is all." He replied smiling widely ushering Matthew towards the door before grinning showing teeth at a shadow in the corner of the room. Red eyes glared back at him.

~!#$%^&*()_+~!#$%^&*()_+

"So…he isn't talking to you?" Holland glared at Mathias but sighed as they walked his grounds.

"No…he's not talking to me." Holland confirmed making the larger man throw his head back and laugh. "It's not funny Mathias. I have half a mind to just send him home with his friend without compensation for all the trouble he has given me."

"You are an awful liar." Mathias replied with a teeth showing smile. "You would never send that brat away. You are smitten."

"You are one to stand and judge me mister I-seduce-my-underlings so I won't be alone." Holland muttered only to be greeted with silence. It took him two more steps to realize he wasn't being followed. He paused before turning around to find Mathias looking down nudging the snow with his foot hands buried in his pockets. "Mathias I didn't-"

"They are leaving me Holland… Su and Tino…They are here for now, but they will leave before long. They are…In love." Mathias scoffed as if the very idea was asinine. Holland sighed knowing there was nothing he could do now but let the lighter haired blond have his moment of self-hate and regret. Once he got like this there was no pulling him out of it till it ran its course. "How could they know for sure that they are in love?"

"You love Norge. You know it for sure don't you?" Holland replied shifting his weight watching Mathias nodded slowly thoughts coming together in his hazy mind.

"I do."

"He loves you doesn't he? Promised to stay with you forever."

"He did."

"People don't understand that, but it's no less real. It's the same for Su and Tino just because you are worried for them and are scared to let them leave doesn't mean that they're not going to be alright when they do. It doesn't mean that you won't be fine as well."

"Ice will soon too he is growing restless. He wanders further and further from our home…It used to be just to the edge of your lands but I have heard from Ludwig they have spotted him running along the boundaries of his now too. I am thankful for your ties to Gilbert, I fear what would happen to him if someone else had spotted him." Mathias frowned hard and reached a hand up rubbing the back of his head. "I don't know what to do Holland…I love them all so much I can't bear the thought of losing them."

"You're not losing anyone." Holland insisted before walking forward hooking an arm over the others shoulder comradely forcing them both into motion around the outer fence again. "Here's what you can do. Don't worry about Ice. He is still young and will not leave his brothers side for another few years. But offer Tino and Su some of your land."

"My land? What for? The point is I don't want them to leave Holland not force them out."

"Listen to me fool. Offer them land at the furthest reaches of your land. They are leaving Mathias there is nothing you can do about that. What you can do is ease the pain of distance. If they chose to accept your gift it will be a win win for both of you. Tino and Su will get their privacy all bonded should have and you get to keep them close." Holland could see the idea taking hold in Mathias mind as he smiled widely. "But Mathias, if you give them that land it will no longer belong to you, you understand? If they agree and move out to that land you can't just go over and start making demands. It would be just like when you wish to visit me. You would need to announce your arrival and resect their wishes." The smile dimmed a little at that part but Holland could see the half crazed man thinking it over.

"I fear giving them land in the east, there has been unrest out that way. Have you heard?"

"I have…I sent some people out the day before last to see for themselves and bring me news." Holland replied.

"And? What word did they bring back?" Mathias asked.

"Nothing…They have not returned." Holland dropped his arm from his hold on Mathias and rubbed at the back of his head. "I am afraid I may need to go out myself and see. I don't want angels coming to settle the dispute so close to my lands you know how they get when they see a demon riot."

"Everyone becomes a target 'in the name of the lord amen'." Mathias shook his head. "I will go with you then."

"I'm giving my scouts two or three days more to get back before I head out. You can feel free to come along I would appreciate the help."

"Now Holland, tell me what you really plan to do about this Minx you're keeping as a house cat." Mathias replied smiling and nodding his head back towards the house. Holland looked in the direction the other had motioned and saw Matthew standing at the window looking out at them, Gilbert behind him leaning against the wall peering out as well.

The angel was dressed for the first time since the 'incident', as everyone was coming to call it, in a soft blue colored shirt that hugged his lithe form and a pair of black jeans that looked like they may have been stolen out of Holland's closet if the sagging waist line that showed off the top part of his mark was anything to go. The bottoms were rolled up to make up for the height difference and his feet were bare. All in all he looked rather cute. No cute was wrong. Cute was a word used for children and animal or girls. Matthew looked edible.

Their eyes met for a moment and Matthew raised his head just the slightest bit and cocked an eyebrow in a manner that was meant only for antagonizing. It was a 'you like what you see?' look. And Holland felt his heart beet pick up the pace.

"Well hell's bells." Holland muttered under his breath watching Matthew quirk the slightest of smiles before turning and walking away. He didn't have to be in the house to hear Gilbert's laughter in his head as the albino followed after Matthew body visibly shaking with mirth as his head fell back in enjoyment.

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	14. swimming

It had been twelve hours since Matthew had started whatever game it was he was playing and Holland felt like he was going to explode. After he and Mathias had finished his inspection of his grounds Holland had returned to the house to find Matthew out of his room and sitting in his office. No; not just in HIS office but sitting in HIS office chair, rocking slowly back and forth, feet up on the desk as he read some book or another.

It would take hours to get the angels smell off the fabric.

After the bond Holland suddenly seemed aware of some smell. It took him finally breaking down and asking if anyone else could smell it before he realized it was Matthew.

Mathias explained that people bond in different ways, Holland apparently would now be able to smell Matthew's skin in a way he hadn't before. It was damned irritating.

He could smell the lingering scent all over the fucking house and it made his pants a little less roomy and his chest tighten. And what made it worse was the little shit was still refusing to speak.

Matthew smiled, raised an eyebrow or tipped his head. He would cock a hip to the side or tap his bare foot and roll his eyes when Holland tried to demand he talk. And what was worse was when Gilbert or Ivan or Sebastian showed up the bastard would start up a conversation like Holland wasn't even there.

The shit.

The bastard.

The completely enticing, heartless, ingrate.

Holland was doomed. Royally fucked to be sure.

All he wanted to do, all he could even thinking about was picking the angel up and kissing him senseless. It was going to be a long fucking day.

"Are you still not speaking to me?" Holland asked walking towards the desk. Matthew lowered his book for a moment looking the demon as if unimpressed and went back to reading. "You are beginning to get on my damned nerves Matthew. You sit there like you don't care. Like you don't feel it too." Holland wasn't sure where these words were coming from. All he knew was he was just beyond aggravated with this want that seemed to bubble up inside him at the very sight of the other male, and now the fuck was sitting there messing with him. He had had enough.

Matthew at this point had placed his book on the desk and folded his hands into his lap giving Holland his full attention, as if to humor him and nothing more. He raised an eyebrow at the other wearing a sardonic smile and watching the demon like he thought he was completely mad. "I know you do. I knew you wanted me since that kiss outside on your first day here." There was slight tick in Matthews jaw and Holland knew he'd gotten something. "You loved it didn't you. Being kissed by a demon, something that is so much less then you are, so 'sinful'. Well let me tell you something Angel, your little reverse psychology games you're playing with me right now, by acting like you suddenly like me and wanna flirt with me because you think you don't like me, when you really do, and you wanna confuse me to make me think that I don't know what I know, aren't going to work." Holland was leaning down over the chair now his hand on the arms trapping Matthew as he ranted not even sure if he was making sense any more he was so mad. "Because deep down…you do like me. You want me like I want you and there is nothing you can do to change that. Not a single damn thing."

Holland pulled Matthew up out of his chair and jerked his body flush against him. He waited a moment just looking down at those big purple eyes that were looking up at him so scared and determined at the same time. He was beautiful in a way that Holland had never seen before in anyone else. The demon lowered his head slowly watching as Matthew's eyes fluttered a moment as if trying to decide how to react to the kiss he knew was coming, his body already completely stiff in Holland's arms. The spikey haired blond bypassed Matthew's lips though and buried his nose against the skin of his neck just below his ear and breathed deeply. The pressure in his chest loosened as he breathed in the angels scent straight from him. "God." He whispered his lips brushing against flesh making Matthew shiver reaching arms up to cling to Holland's back. "What have you done to me angel?" He asked.

Matthew felt lightheaded. 'This shouldn't be comfortable. It shouldn't make my heart feel like it's so full its gunna burst. It shouldn't be so right.' The angel though before leaning his head forward to place it on Holland's shoulder as he shook softly, his body wound so tight he felt like he could collapse.

"It doesn't make you evil or sinful Matthew...to enjoy being held." Matthew pulled back suddenly feeling trapped. He couldn't listen to this. Couldn't stand there and let the demon twist things until they didn't sound so bad. "You need to listen to me." Holland half begged hanging onto the other, refusing to let him flee. "There is no black and white. No pure evil or absolute good. There is only grey Matthew. It's all just grey and we try and muddle our way through every day to feel decent about ourselves when we lay down in bed. I know that's hard for you to even consider but God damn it just…" Holland hesitated. His voice had risen near the end and Matthew was looking at him again, still completely silent, pulling against Holland's hold so hard he could feel the angel shaking. He sighed and slowly let go watching Matthew back up until his rump hit the desk and he had to reach his hands back to steady himself. "Just...think about it. Just think about it for me ok."

The angel fled.

~!#$%^&*()_+~!#$%^&*()_+

"I'm not doing this again."

"You said that the last three times comrade. I am starting to not believe you."

Gilbert groaned and burned his face into a pillow as guilt washed over him and Ivan chuckled. The larger man was naked, not a piece of clothing left on him except a sock Gilbert hadn't managed to jerk free in his sudden crushing need to feed.

Three times he'd fallen into bed with the angelic stranger with the promise to be gentle on his lips before they attached to skin from heel to neck. Three times he'd allowed Ivan to press into him and make him scream. Three times he'd forgotten about THEM.

"Gilbert…who are they?" Ivan's soft voice made him go rigid. The words were carful like he already knew the reaction they would cause.

"Who?" He asked keeping his face mashed into the pillow to hide any unintentional reactions he might make even as he faked ignorance.

The giant was quiet a moment before the bed shifted and covers were pulled up over them both. Ivan pressed against Gilbert's side resting a hand on his lower back as he twined his legs with one of the demons and put his forehead against the others shoulder. The blankets settled around them making it feel like they were in their own little world.

Gilbert had to give the man points. He knew how to lay the ground work for getting what he wanted. The best way to get a person to talk was make them feel comfortable. Like what they have to say won't affect the real world outside of the nest of safety the two had made.

"Who are the ones you dream about after every time you feed?"

"I already told you I can't remember." Gilbert growled in warning but Ivan pressed on not to be deterred. "You know it is a THEM and not a singular person."

Gilbert felt his heart skip a beat and for the briefest of moments he saw them both so clearly in his mind he felt like his chest would explode from the longing that filled him.

And then just as quickly they were gone. "Leave me alone." He whispered. He felt exhausted. He knew them. He couldn't remember what he'd done. He couldn't remember why the kicked him out of heaven. He couldn't remember anything anymore, but her face and his music and the blood that was everywhere.

"Do you not want to remember you lovers?" Ivan asked shifting a little to get more comfortable.

"Why would you want me to?" Gilbert spat back pushing himself upright breaking out of their makeshift safe haven to glare at the angel so fiercely that Ivan let out a small noise of warning. "What do you care if I can remember them or not!"

"Because Gilbert, without a past…how can you be whole?" Ivan blinked innocent eyes at Gilbert like it was the most obvious thing in the world and the albino could feel the rage welling up inside him.

"I'M NOT BROKEN! STOP TRYING TO FIX ME! " Gilbert yelled.

"Calm down Gilbert. I never said you were broken." Ivan said evenly not looking the least bit worried.

"No. No, you listen to me. I was an angel. I still want to be an angel. This little…whatever it is we're doing doesn't change that. It doesn't change what I had with them. I don't need to remember all the details to know that much." Gilbert stood up pushing Ivan's hands away standing in all his naked glory furious and beautiful. Ivan smiled holding up his hands in a show of meaning no harm.

"Going back to being an angel won't change that either. They will still be gone. You will still long for them in a way that will block everyone else out. They made you who you are today. Those two who you force from your mind so completely, they are important to me because they are a part of you." Ivan was smiling at him gently like he'd known the whole time what was going to happen, where each question was going to lead and how Gilbert was going to react to them and that's when he felt his hands start to shake. "It's alright, Gilbert. Look at me, it's alright."

"Oh God."

"Gilbert." Ivan was chuckling and reaching for him and Gilbert felt like he was about to vomit up all the blood he'd just ingested. "Gilbert relax."

Gilbert shook his head even as he let himself be pulled back onto the bed, pushing down their names that tried to force their way into his mind after all these years of keeping them locked away so he would never feel that pain again. "Why are you doing this to me?" He asked red eyes meeting purple and all he could see was Roderich looking back at him.

Tears burned tracks down his face before he even knew they were coming as he reached a shaking hand forward to touch a jaw that was far too strong to belong to the man he was envisioning, but it didn't matter. Because he could see every detail of his past lover down to the deep brown of his always tame hair minus one stubborn piece, his wire frame glasses, and the mole below his lip on the left side of his chin. Gilbert could see the always serious look the other had on his face except for when he was looking at Elizabeta and that thought made Gilbert jerk his head up so fast to look for their second lover that it almost physically hurt when he realized she wasn't there.

"I am doing this Gilbert," Ivan said gently pulling the demons face back towards him. "because so long as you force the memory of them away you will never be just mine. You will always belong wholly to them."

Gilbert hadn't cried so hard since the Fall.

~!#$%^&*()_+~!#$%^&*()_+

"Do you think it's wrong?"

"What?" Gilbert asked swinging his feet, leaning back on his hands as he and Matthew sat at the edge of the roof looking out over the snow covered yard a few hours later. Storm clouds were rolling in. Ivan had been right, a blizzard was on its way.

Matthew hesitated before speaking again. "Wanting to be wanted…"

Gilbert looked over at Matthew who was hunched forward looking at his dangling feet like they were the most interesting thing in the world. They were probably freezing. Matthew had come out without any shoes on as Sebastian was hiding his boots when he wasn't given permission to go outside so it was harder to run off. "No." He replied finally tilting his head back to look at the sky again. "Nothing wrong with being wanted."

Silence again.

"I don't know what to do."

Gilbert sighed heavily watching the smoke coil out of his mouth and drift away. "I know."

"I don't think I have ever been this conflicted in my life." Matthew said softly.

Deep breath. Slow release. "I know." Gilbert said again thinking of his own situation more than Matthews.

"The good things in life are always the hardest to deal with. If good things were easy to get everyone would take them for grant it…Francis says that." Matthew said wiggling his toes in a half serious attempt to keep them warm.

"I know."

Matthew looked back and Gilbert looked down their eyes meeting in a silent kinship towards one another before they both smiled weakly.

"Come on. We need to get back inside before Sebastian has to cut off your toes 'cause they're frost bitten." Gilbert said standing.

"Let's go to the pond." Matthew spoke suddenly startling Gilbert who blinked at him and pulled his coat closer frowning at the frozen over pond just outside the gate to the east.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to go face Holland yet and you obviously came up onto the roof for a breather to so let's go down real fast. I haven't had time to skate on a pond in ages." Matthew was smiling and Gilbert knew he shouldn't but he sighed and rolled his eyes. "Alright." He muttered before Matthew pushed himself forward off the roof and he followed.

They trampled threw the snow quickly giggling like naughty school kids as they snuck off the property to the frozen water. Matthew's feet were bright red now and Gilbert was damn near positive he was going to have to either give up a pair of socks or carry the other man back by the time they were done. The angel stepped out onto the ice first making a face as he felt the ice melt a little under his feet. "Come on Gilbert don't be such a baby." Matthew said walking further out as Gilbert waited on solid ground.

"I wouldn't go out that far Matthew. You don't know how frozen over it is."

"You're a puss."

"You're an idiot." Gilbert grumbled back taking a step onto the ice just to prove he would.

"It's beautiful out here…"

"Yeah listen, it's pretty and all that shit but we need to get back. That storm is getting close and if you want a warm room tonight we need to go help Sebastian close everything up in the house and lights some fires." Gilbert replied watching his feet and he nearly slipped moving a little further out. He looked up again and Matthew was in the middle of the pond staring out towards the forest with a frown on his face. "What's wrong?" Gilbert called glancing between the angel and the tree line as the wind picked up and a snow started to fall slowly.

"I thought I just saw a man –" Matthew didn't finish the sentence before a sound filled Gilbert with dread. Their eyes met and Gilbert had just enough time to reach his hand forward before the ice split dropping out from below the angel.

"MATTHEW!"

Matthew surfaced again gasping for air as static seemed to fill his mind. The man in the woods was looking at him blankly before between one blink and the next he was gone. "HELP." The angel shrieked trying to force air into his only working lung while the freezing water seemed to suck it right back out of him. He was hyperventilating. Matthew knew he was and there was nothing he could do to stop himself as he swam toward the edge of the hole he'd made. Gilbert was coming out on the ice towards him and he wanted to cry because the sound of ice cracking filled the air again and the demon didn't stop.

Gilbert got closer and the ice groaned as he dropped to his knees, crawling the last stretch between him and Matthew. "Give me your hand."

"It's going to break again! It can't hold us both." Matthew sobbed shaking so bad he was surprised he could talk at all.

"Matthew take my damn hand!" Gilbert grabbed at the angels wrist trying to pull him out of the freezing water.

Matthew tried to heave himself up and out splashing the slushy liquid across the ice, soaking Gilberts front before the ledge snapped again sending Matthew back down and Gilbert tumbling forward head first.

Matthew's vision was started to get black spots in the corner when Gilbert came to the surface sputtering and cursing. "God damn it!" He yelled grabbing the new jagged edge of the ice.

"Shit my jackets weighing me down." Matthew laid his face against the edge he was clinging to feeling completely drained, his vision almost completely faded as he watched Gilbert struggle to get out as chunks of ice continued to break away. Movement to his left made him left his head.

The old man who had been standing at the tree line was at the edge of the pond, the static suddenly came back. His black cloak looked think and warm and his eyes were hard and unfeeling as he watched them in the water, a small bit of gray hair that stuck out from under then man's cap ruffled in the ever increasing wind. His face looked weathered and worn with no hair on it except a thick bit making up his mustache. He took one step forward and Matthew shook his head to worn out to yell not to come out. That's when Matthew saw that the man wasn't leaving a train behind in the snow, he was hovering.

The man knelt down and Matthew watched enthralled as he placed a hand on the frozen surface. A crackle sounded again making Matthew look back to Gilbert who had heaved himself half out of the water on ice that was suddenly thicker then moments ago. "Come on Matthew you must try to get out!" Gilbert begged lying still a moment before kicking his legs and heaving himself the rest of the way out. Purple eyes jerked back to where he'd seen the man only to find him gone. "Come one Matthew please! I can't pull you out without your help." Matthew reached a shaking hand forward and sucked in a deep breath, as best he could, before forcing himself out of the water and onto the now solid ledge.

Gilbert looked about ready to cry with relief once they were both out of the water sprawled against the surface of the pond. "W-we have to get w-warm." Matthew whispered weakly. "We need to get out of these clothes."

Slowly the men crawled away from the hole towards shore before they got pushed themselves to their knees trying to peel off soaked clothes with frozen fingers. Matthew got his jacket off first since he hadn't zipped it and pushed Gilberts trembling hands out of his way so he could jerk at the stubborn zipper He got it half way down before it stuck again and he growled in frustration gripping both side of now partly open coat and ripping tearing the fastener almost all the way down allowing them to shimmy it over the shaking demons head. Shirts came off next, though Gilbert had to force Matthew out of his because the angel had lain down against the ice after pulling off Gilberts coat completely worn out.

Once he was sitting up again Matthew grit his teeth and worked at his pants next, laying back and kicking his legs as the albino man pulled at the bottoms helping his shimmy them off. Gilbert worked his own off and laid next to Matthew panting and shivering as snow came down harder and the wind whipped around them. Steam came off their naked flesh as the freezing air tried to heat their even colder bodies. Tears were pricking at the corner of Gilberts red eyes and Matthew pulled him over pressing there ice cold bodies together trying to keep warm for as long as possible.

They were going to die out here. Naked on a frozen pond because Matthew was too damned stupid to just admit he may be wrong about something.

Gilbert was crying harder now and his tears felt like fire against Matthew chest where the demon had buried his face trying to hide it from the wind and Matthew's judgment. Matthew felt like screaming. His body was going numb but in a completely painful way and his body was slowly starting to stop shaking. Hypothermia was setting in.

A wet noise touched Matthew cheek making him blink his eyes open tiredly not even realizing he'd closed them. A large white polar bear stared back down at him. "K-Kum-m-ma" He whispered weakly hardly even able to get the stuttered and slurred speech out. Kumajirou didn't exactly belong to Matthew but the bear had the tendency to follow him around a lot when the angel was at his own home. The beast had wondered off though, as he was prone to forget WHO it was he was following from time to time and Matthew hadn't seen him in the past few months but always seemed to show up when he needed him.

The bear nudged him again making him give a weak sob. The animal huffed before stepping over them both and laying its big hairy body almost all the way down, keeping just enough weight off to not crush them. "-the hellsthat." Gilbert asked trying to shove it away.

Matthew made a no noise and his body started to shake again. He knew it was a good thing but son of a bitch if it didn't make him want to scream. He patted the animals side making it stand up before it laid down next to Matthew as the angel rolled over slowly. "Come on. He will take us home." Matthew said grabbing on to the bears fur and half standing and half dragging himself onto its back. Gilbert hesitated before his fear off dying alone in the snow outweighed his dying by being mulled by a bear and he to pushed himself up and onto the kneeling creature pressing his body as much as he could into Matthew and fur.

Once they were seated Kumajiruo wasted no time getting to his feet and lumbering towards Holland's home. Matthew faded in and out a few times before he lifted his head to see how far out there were and static filled his head again. Ivan was standing before them not to far off. His scarf was whipping in the wind and snow billowed around him, the man Matthew had seen before was behind Ivan, though he looked almost transparent and far too large now as the static died down and the man disappeared, leaving only his fellow angel. "I FOUND THEM." The man yelled as Matthew felt Gilbert fall off Kumajirou behind him finally giving in and passing out. Matthew must have passed out again too because the next thing he knew he was pulled of the polar bears back and was being held as they raced into the house.

Once inside the house the heat almost made him cry. He let out a whining noise as his body felt like it was being stuck with a thousand needles. "It's alright. Matthew it's ok. I promise everything's going to be ok…"

"You need to get him warm Holland, quickly now." Sebastian's voice was nearby and someone was wrapping blankets around him that felt like they'd been sitting in the fireplace to his left.

"G-gilbert?" He asked weakly trying to force his eyes open and look for the other man. "Whereish-"

"Ivan's got him." Holland was speaking gently a hand petting down Matthew's wet hair. He pulled the boy closer to the fire and that's when Matthew noticed that his naked body was pressed against Holland's much warmer and equally naked one.

"I'm s-sorry." Matthew sobbed burying his face into the demon lord's chest feeling awful. "I'mso sor-rry." His words were a mess and Holland was quiet making Matthew wish he could just die from the shame of it all.

"It's alright." Holland whispered softly to him a hand running up and down his back slowly trying to ease the pins and needles feeling. "It's alright Matthew."

"Can he drink this?" Seychelles was hovering over them holding a cup of something Matthew couldn't see but her skin was a shade of silver he had never witnessed and the need to apologize bubbled up in him again.

"I will get him to. Thank you Seychelles, go see if Ivan needs help with Gilbert." The woman nodded, her flesh slowly turning back to mocha before she walked away. "Matthew, drink this." Holland said helping him sit upright. He wanted to take the cup on his own and drink but his hands still didn't seem to want to work right and he was shaking to hard even if they were, so he settled for letting the spiky haired blond place the drink against his lips as he sipped.

Warmth filled him by the time he'd finished the whole drink. Holland seemed pleased as he pulled Matthew against him, his chest to the angels back keeping Matthew between him and the roaring fire as he slowly worked a towel through wet hair.

Things were quiet a moment before Matthew took a shuttering breath, then another. "H-holland. I-I'm so cold. I-I can't b-breath."

"Shit." Holland cursed.

"The cold from his extremities must have finally reached his core." Sebastian said. "Get him to drink more."

Holland tried to get Matthew to drink again but he shoved the cup away in a panic, trying to pull away from the demon. "I can't breathe!" He half shrieked as he tried to force air into his only working lung feeling like a fish out of water.

"Matthew you're going to hyperventilate calm down!" Holland begged him forcing the angels back against his chest again placing one of his large hands against Matthews own chest. "Breath with me." Holland took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Matthew felt it against his back and struggled to do the same. It took four tries but on the fifth when Holland breathed in slowly so did Matthew. "There you go." The demon whispered comfortingly. "You're alright Matthew. I've got you. Breath in…and out."

Holland's hand felt large and comforting against Matthew's chest and if he wasn't so cold he was pretty sure he would be blushing from the intimate contact. "Thank you." Matthew whispered. He didn't get a reply but he could feel Holland's smile against his shoulder where the demon was resting his head.

Review?


	15. here we go

The first thing that registered in Gilberts mind was he was warm. Warm. Content. Satisfied. And full.

He sighed relaxing a little more. He must have had Roderich and Elizabeta to be both this satisfied and full. Not that he wasn't satisfied with only one of them, but when they let him have both he could feed more without fear of draining one of them too much.

When he had both he could make love to Elizabeta and be rough with Roderich. But in all honesty he was gentler with Roderich then he meant to be and rougher with Elizabeta then he intended. God how he loved them. Not that he would ever tell them that, Elizabeta would laugh and Roderich would roll his eyes.

"Gilbert." Her voice could send shivers down his spine even while still half asleep. "You need to wake up now."

He could feel the cool frame of Roderich's glasses pressing into his back where the man was half curled around him. An arm wrapped around resting on their female lovers hip where she laid against Gilberts front playing slowly with his silver hair. Roderich's perfect piano fingers slipped from the swell of Elizabeta's hip to Gilberts less padded, bonier one and back again. None of them spoke about it, they all pretended that Gilbert and Roderich only stayed together for Elizabeta's sake but they all knew it wasn't true. The three of them were meant to be together, Gilbert believed that with his whole soul. Nothing could be this perfect otherwise.

The albino snuggled forward more feeling their woman's full breasts press into his chest. He could tell from the way her body felt against him that she was on her side leaning up, her head perched on her hand, watching them as she often did.

"Gilbert!" Roderich's voice was normally smooth, like melted chocolate, but now it sounded strained. Panicked. The thin man's hold around him had tightened almost painfully and he felt cold like his body was made of ice. "Where are you? They're coming for us! WHERE ARE YOU?"

Gilbert shot up in bed, sweat pouring off his shaking body as he looked around. No Roderich, no Elizabeta. No Blood.

"Are you alright?"

Gilbert jerked his head to the left where Ivan was looking at him. The large man was walking through the bedroom door with a bowl steaming soup wearing only a bathrobe. "What happened?" Gilbert asked barely able to make his body stop shaking.

"You and Matvy fell through broken ice…you remember this da?" Ivan asked walked towards the bed. The large man set the food he was carrying on the nightstand before sitting on the side of the mattress, legs still on the floor giving Gilbert the illusion of space.

"I remember…how did you find us?"

"Ah Kumajirou, Matvy's bear found you. The snow was so bad he brought you almost all the way to the house before we spotted you." Ivan replied as if this was a normal occurrence.

"Who the fuck has a bear?" Gilbert asked pulled the blankets up around him glaring down at the sheets like it was their fault he felt so cold.

"Matvy found it when it was just a cub. It followed him around ever since."

"Matthew's been here for what a month and a half now? I haven't seen at all until-"

"Kuma is just like everyone else, he forgets about Matvy, not even animals are immune to his gift."

Gilbert sat quietly a moment tugging at a corner of the sheets mindlessly. "I drank from you?" It was a half question half statement. He already could feel the fullness in his stomach that food didn't give him. He knew he drank blood without even asking. Ivan reached a hand over and lifted Gilberts face so he was looking at him. "Only because I made you. You were dying; you needed to drink something warm. And there's nothing better than good old fashion ninety-eight point six da?"

"Let me see." Gilbert pulled at the top of the robe and Ivan's larger hand come up clamping it closed at the throat. "Ah now Gilbert there is no need for that. You will only upset yourself."

Gilbert narrowed his red eyes before jerking Ivan forward onto the bed and pinning him down. "You are cute when you are angry." Ivan replied smiling widely still holding his robe closed while eyeing Gilbert's nude from above him appreciatively.

"Stop being an asshole and let me see." The albino hissed at him grabbing a hold of the robe right below where Ivan was holding it and jerked it apart forcing it from his hands. Once Ivan was exposed they both sat in silence a moment. "What did I do…" Gilbert asked weakly reaching a hand forward to touch the torn skin at Ivan's collar bone before trailing down to another mark on the man's left chest.

"I moved you once because it was hurting my neck to have to sit turned to the side." Ivan said with a shrug.

"Look at what I did…" Gilbert was looking at the marks horrified and Ivan chuckled. "Gilbert, your teeth are not made for precision piercing like your friends are." He reached a hand up taking a hold of the albino's jaw making him look him in the eye again. "Your whole mouth is designed to rip open flesh and get to the blood that sustains your body. You're a hematophage. There is nothing wrong with that."

"There is something wrong with that when I hurt you!" He said before pausing…He'd said this to someone before.

"Are you alright?" Ivan asked letting his hand fall back to the bed before gently touching Gilberts thighs, rubbing them comfortingly.

"Yeah I…déjà vu. I have said this before." Gilbert frowned harder placing his hands over Ivan's to get them to stop moving.

"Oh Gilbert you worry too much." Her voice sounded far away like she was in a tunnel. "If I hadn't liked it, it wouldn't have happened." He could almost see her wiggling a frying pan at him in a fake threatening way as she moved about the kitchen naked as the day she was born.

"Roderich is going to kill me." He said. The words sounded too loud in his ears as he watched her move. Her hair spilled down her back, mused and messy from sex, a bite mark rested on her left breast from where he had gotten over vigorous with his teasing of her nipple and bitten down.

"He will not kill you." She sighed, hand on her gorgeously plump hip. Here he was still morning his misconduct in the bedroom from last time and he already wanted her again. She smiled at him knowingly.

"Who is Roderich?" Ivans voice ripped him out of his memory and Gilbert blinked shocked. "Who?"

"Roderich. You said Roderich was going to kill you." Ivan was looking at him expectantly for an explanation but not angrily so. Gilbert frowned a little looking away. "Roderich…was one of my lovers…from before the fall."

"One of the important ones?" Ivan asked.

"Yes." Gilbert replied lifting his hands off Ivan's before sighing. He didn't want to talk about them. They fell into silence again and Gilbert sucked at the inside of his mouth tasting the last of Ivan's blood that was there as he thought. How had he apologized to Elizabeta after he bit her?

Sex.

Well if it worked for her it would have to work for Ivan too.

"Ivan." He said slowly placing his hand on the others chest and dragging them down softly. "I wanna fuck."

Ivan quirked and eyebrow at him and relaxed his body more comfortably on the bed letting out a huff as he settled. "You said you would not be doing this again comrade." He reminded the other man even as his member twitched in appreciation to Gilberts ministrations.

"I say a lot of things." Gilbert replied, slowly rubbing himself against Ivan looking at the others man's face with a bored expression on his own like it didn't matter to him if they had sex or not even though he had started it. His eyes looked over Ivan's face slowly, taking in the other man, forcing his mind to see only the angel before him who was grinning right back with a small crooked smile.

~!#$%^&*()_~!#$%^&*()_+

Matthew glared at Holland who was sitting across the table from him. The demon was glaring right back as Sebastian hustled around the room placing warm soup in front of Matthew and a fresh cup of coffee before Holland. The only sounds made were from the black skinned butlers hooves on the floor and the clicking sound of china as he carried plates about.

"You are out of your mind." Matthew finally said back rigid with anger.

"I am not. And I will not be arguing about this any further." Holland replied his legs crossed trying to force himself to relax into his chair no matter how infuriating the Angel before him was.

"I'm not going to allow it."

"You have no choice!"

Matthew slammed his hands down onto the table and stood up making his chair fall over. "Are you not listening to me? I said no! No way in Hell!"

Holland jerked himself up out of his seat and around the table forcing Matthew to face him before dipping his head down and kissing him for only a split second before pulling back. "We are in Hell and there is a way." He said softly smiling at Matthews red cheeks before turning on his heel and heading for the door. "I have decided I like you and I will be courting you properly from now on and there is not a thing you can do to convince me otherwise."

Matthew stood stunned for a moment before snapping back to reality. "You are a complete bastard!"

Sebastian chuckled as the wavy haired blond threw his hands up in the air and stormed from the room in the opposite direction.

Kids these days. He shook his head and cleaned up the table smiling. It was about time they had some noise in this old house.

Review?


	16. learning

"Gilbert." Matthew pushed open the demons door. He had taken up permanent residence as of late and Holland grudgingly had given him a guest room for his own.

Matthew often came to the room when he wanted to rant about the Demon Lord or just to talk. He needed to check on the other man anyway seeing as he hadn't seen him since their fall through the ice. Sebastian said Gilbert had been sleeping on and off.

He expected Gilbert to be in bed. He did not expect the man to be in bed atop his best friend; butt necked, with said best friend's manhood hidden from view in a way that made Matthew turn ten shades of red. "Oh for the love of Peter, Paul, and Mary!" He slammed the door shut behind him keeping anyone else who may happen to walk by from seeing anything. "What are you doing?" Matthew could barely force the words out.

If their positions had been reversed Matthew would have tried to convince himself the shadow demon had somehow forced Ivan into it, the slyness of demons and all that, but even he could see the way Ivan was holding Gilberts pale, thin hips and thrust up once in annoyance as if to tell him to move.

Gilbert made an annoyed sound at Ivan as his red eyes looked Matthew over. "Can we help you comrade?" Ivan asked calmly as if Matthew hadn't just walked in on the most absurd thing he had even seen. An angel and a demon? Had he fallen into another dimension? "We are a tad…busy at the moment, in case you missed that. Perhaps you could come back another time da?"

Gilberts pale skin was tinted red, though not from embarrassment but it seemed more from the activities Matthew had interrupted. The demon had a thin frame but there was a fine layer of muscle under the skin that coiled and moved in a striking way as he shifted a little on his perch making Ivan half groan. He hadn't noticed it before, but the shadow demon was particularly attractive while sitting atop the much larger angel below him even from just the side view that Matthew was getting. Confident. Comfortable.

"I'm sorry I…I will come back later." Matthew said hand stretched behind him on the doorknob already as he looked them over one last time.

"Much appreciated." Gilbert said shooting him a cocky smile and a wink starting to move again before the angel had even fully fled from the room.

~~!#$%^&*()_+~!#$%^&*()_+

"Are you going to see Holland off?" Sebastian asked Matthew as the angel sat in Holland's study reading trying to rid his mind of the image of Ivan and Gilbert together.

"See him off?" Matthew asked frowning and lowering the book.

"Yes. He leaves tonight to go settle a rebellion in the east. Did he not tell you?" The man asked looking confused as he tidied the room. Matthew was up and out of his seat before Sebastian had even finished the sentence leaving the man to smile as he picked up Matthews discarded book and placed it back on the shelf.

~!#$%^&*()_+~!#$%^&*()_+

"We're leaving tomorrow?" Mathias said leaning on the door to Holland's room.

"I was hoping to leave by tonight." Holland replied looking over the maps he had spread over his desk. "I have a bad feeling and want to head out sooner rather than later. Can you be ready?"

Mathias smiled widely. "We will. I will gather the boys."

"The angel, Ivan. He told me now that the storm has passed he is going to be headed home to get an angel to come and talk about retrieving Matthew…"

"What are you going to do?" Mathias asked walking into the room and sitting on the bed.

"…I don't know yet." Holland forced himself not to look up from the maps.

"What if they want to take him back for good?"

"I will still have to see him every two, three weeks. Whether they like it or not."

Mathias sighed and stood from the bed walking up to Holland and placing a hand on his shoulder. "What if they…Holland what if they don't let you?"

The demon lord scowled at that and stood upright. "You think they would-"

"I'm not saying that they would. I just want you to be prepared for it. If they take him and won't let you see him again. I'm just saying maybe you shouldn't get too attached."

Holland saw Matthew in his mind's eye lying in bed as his body slowly shut down unable to handle the damage it had been through with no demon saliva to even ease the pain as he died alone and forgotten. "That won't happen." Holland barely breathed out the words. He wouldn't allow that to happen.

"You're leaving!" Holland jerked at Matthew's entrance as did Mathias. "What kind of courting is that? Do you have any idea how this is supposed to work?"

The two demons looked at the furious looking angel and Mathias smiled holding back his laughter. "I will leave you two to it then. Holland, me and my men will be ready within the hour."

Mathias held up his hands as if to say 'I'm weaponless' as he snuck past Matthew chuckling softly. The angel kicked the door closed behind him without looking away from Holland. "Are you going to explain yourself?"

"What is it you want me to explain?" Holland asked with a sigh looking away.

Matthew stormed across the room. "You don't ask me, you demanded that you are going to court me. Then you turn around and are about to leave right afterwards without a word. You were going to leave without even saying anything to me?"

"I'm going to be back by morning, mid-day by latest. I didn't think-"

"That's right you didn't think." Matthew growled. "You're an idiot. You-"

"When I come home would you like to have dinner with me?" Matthew blinked at that. "Say what?"

"Dinner. When I come home from this little rebellion would you like to eat dinner with me? Just the two of us." Holland was smiling at him and Matthew suddenly felt like someone had pulled a rug out from under him leaving him to try and catch himself with shaking knees. "I-We really shouldn-"

The demon lord had placed a finger against his lips quieting him. "It's just a meal and we can deal with should and should not's later."

"Alright." Matthew said gently feeling a slight blush against his cheeks.

"For now though." Holland said moving his finger from Matthews lips to under his chin to lift his head. "How about a kiss for luck before I go?"

Matthew sucked in a sharp breath. His first instinct was to say no, venomously. But there were butterflies in his stomach tell him to do otherwise so he pushed up on his toes slightly and placed a gentle kiss against Holland's lips. "Be careful." He said softly before fleeing from the room.

Holland blinked in surprised before smiling widely at Matthews retreat. He had been teasing the man he hadn't really expected a kiss. But if Matthew wanted to give them who was he to complain.

~!#$%^&*()_+~!#$%^&*()_+

"You're leaving too?" Matthew asked in surprise when Ivan came to see him later.

"Da. The storm has passed so I am going to go and get Francis. That is what you wanted isn't it?" Ivan asked pulling on his coat.

Matthew frowned a moment and had to clutch the bottom on his shirt to keep from ringing his hands. "Well yes." He replied softly. "Ivan I forgot to ask you earlier…I…I saw a man before I feel through the ice you didn't happen to see anyone else out there did you?"

"Oh da! General Winter said he thought you had seen him." Ivan replied tilting his head as he pulled on some fluffy looking hat.

"General winter? Come on, now is not the time for-"

"If you do not wish to believe me Matvy that is up to you but I told you who it was and I grow tired of being called a liar." Matthew paused at that. A liar? He didn't mean to call Ivan a liar just to get a straight answer out of the other man. But if Ivan did actually believe the man Matthew saw was General Winter then who was he to argue. Strange things did happen when he'd seen the old man.

"I'm sorry Ivan. I hadn't meant it like that...General Winter then you say. Tell him it was a pleasure meeting him. I wish it had been during better circumstances."

Ivan laughed pulling on his gloves. "There are no better circumstances when it comes to the General. It's he who brings these bad storms like the one you and Gilbert were caught in. But I will give him your regards anyway."

"Where is Gilbert?" Matthew asked chewing on the inside of his cheek to try and fight down his blush at mentioning of the albino man.

Ivan didn't look the slightest bit embarrassed though as he heavy sighed. "Probably avoiding you to be honest."

"Avoiding me? Why?"

Ivan rolled his eyes like it would be obvious, huffed again in something like annoyance. "Matvy let us not play games you and I da. We know each other too well. Gilbert is not an idiot. He knows how you will feel after seeing him and me together. You are his friend though and he fears you judgment more then he would if you were just some random angel."

"He hasn't left yet has he?" Matthew asked biting his lip.

"Niet. He is not going with Holland. He is staying here to watch over the house." Matthew sighed in relief at least he would be able to have some time to talk to the other man and set things right.

"I have to get going. I will try to be back with Francis by tomorrow. Stay out of trouble while I am gone." Ivan said cupping Matthews face in his gloved hands before walking out.

Matthew stood in the main hall where he'd had his wings sealed the first day he'd been here and sighed. The house seemed to big with almost all the high level demons gone and now Ivan had left to…It was to quiet. Matthew took a quick deep breath and let it out before starting for Gilbert's room. He couldn't let things stay the way they were right now with the shadow demon. If he did he would never work up the nerve to talk to him and their friendship would never be the same.

It was hard to admit. Matthew would have never imagined befriending a demon, but there was no denying the relationship he had with Gilbert. They were friends without a doubt no matter how unlikely it seemed. Matthews quickened his pace eager to see the silver haired man and straighten things out. Who cared if Gilbert and Ivan were…sexually involved? Neither of them seemed hurt by it so who was he to judge? It would be better to just tell Gilbert right out that it didn't bother him…much. Of course he wasn't totally used to it but he was working on it and that was what mattered!

By the time Matthew had reached Gilberts door he was nearly running to try and get there before his courage abandoned him in a mess or nervousness that would leave him unable to articulate at all and he would be back to square one slinking off to his room to hide. That just would not do. So when he reached the demons room he burst in half panting from his run only to be greeted with a sight he was definitely not expecting.

Gilberts back had a fine layer of muscle under his tight pale skin that that made up his back. It was perfect. Not a scratch on it except two ugly burn marks resting over both his shoulder blades four inches long and about an inch and a half wide.

Matthew had to force himself to look away from the marks before his eyes met Gilberts. The man was looking over his shoulder shocked. He was holding a shirt in his hands that he was obviously just about to pull over his head before Matthew had burst in. "I um…Should learn to knock hu?" Matthew said lamely. Red eyes hardened as if he was already stealing himself for Matthew's judgments as he stayed quiet. "You are Fallen…What happened to your wings?"

"They burned them off." Gilbert replied sharply turning to face Matthew properly back rigid his hands clenched in fists around his shirt.

"Burned them?" Matthew repeated softly. The image of Gilbert strapped to an operating table, back up, wings outstretched with a torch being held under one of the pure white feathers about to be burned. "Why?"

Gilbert jerked the shirt on and walked towards the window. "I don't remember…They blocked my memories before they dropped me here. I am surprised you haven't seen the video. They taped it you know. To use it for educational material."

Matthew felt his stomach turn. "How do you know that? You said you forgot everything."

Gilbert looked back at Matthew trying to judge his reactions before he continued. "I remember some things. The longer I am away the more I remember parts of the life I left behind. The friends. The lovers. I used to think they suppressed my memories in some form of mercy. I now realize it was just to prolong the pain."

"What do you mean?"

"By taking my past and slowly letting me remember it makes me repeatedly relive my life. Where if they hadn't taken my memories from me I would have mourned my losses but would have eventually moved on. Now I remember the smallest event… the light in her hair or the sound of him playing a violin…the feeling of the wind through my burning wings and I break down all over again."

Matthew pushed the door closed behind him bracing his back against it making Gilbert narrow his eyes. "Going to try and kill me now Matthew?"

The angel shook his head. "I just…I don't care. Who you were or what you did. You're Gilbert. The man who befriended me when I needed it most and that's all that matters to me."

Gilberts eyes widened in surprise before he smiled. "You are a strange man."

Matthew blushed "I came here to check and see if you were feeling better and tell you that I don't mind that you and Ivan are together. That's all."

Gilbert dropped down onto the bed and chuckled. "You have come a long way from the crazy angel who tried to cut me apart with some glass…I'm feeling pretty good actually Ivan has taken good care of me." He smiled widely enjoying the way Matthew squirmed uncomfortably.

"I'm cold a lot. Can never seem to get warm." Matthew replied. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry I took you out on that ice. I should have known better."

Gilbert stood up and walked across the room pulling Matthew into his arms. "Don't be and idiot. We're both find. That means our little trip though the ice was not a tragedy but just an adventure we lived though in our lives. It will make a fun story to tell the after a drink." He held Matthew out at arm's length and smiled at him giving the angel a little shake. "Now don't make me do that again. I don't like that pansy shit."

Matthew laughed softly as Gilbert went back and dropped back onto the bed. "Gilbert…This is going to sound stupid…but can I stay here tonight?"

The shadow demon raised an eyebrow. "You like what you saw earlier?" He asked wiggling his eyebrows making Matthew scoff. "You wish…I just…Don't want to sleep in Holland's room when he's not here. It's too quiet."

"You afraid of the dark angel?" Gilbert teased making Matthew glare at him. "Of course you can stay here. Don't tell Holland he will kick my ass."

Matthew smiled at that before coming across the room and dropping down onto the free side of the bed. "Are these sheets clean?"

"Now that you mention it I think that I was doing a reverse cowboy right where you are-"

"Do not make me punch you in the face. I will. And I will enjoy it." Matthew said face bright red making Gilbert start cackling in enjoyment as he flipped off the light.

"Go to sleep Birdy."

Matthew didn't remember falling asleep or what woke him hours later. In the night Gilbert and Matthew had rolled towards each other seeking warmth. The shadow demon looked relaxed in his sleep. His face smooth of any worry. He looked almost childlike.

The sound of creaking floorboards made Matthew frown and climb slowly out of bed doing his best not to wake the albino as he slipped out of the room. Matthew followed the noise down to the main hall and found the front door kicked open the lock broken and a demon with blood covered tusks.

"Can I help you?" Matthew asked. The demon jerked around to face him and snorted, splattering blood across the once clean floor. "You should not be here. The Master of the house is away and we are not taking guests."

The demon snorted again and opened its mouth letting out a horrid sound between a woman screaming and a donkey baying. Globs of blackened blood dripped from its jowls onto the floor and the stench of rotting flesh came from its mouth making Matthew cover his nose and take a step back. The creature screamed again and charged at the unprepared angel slamming him into a wall.

Matthew felt the air leave his one working lung and struggled to force air back into it when the demon crashed into him again sending him stumbling back into the wall before he tripped and fell to the floor. Matthew spit up blood as he wrapped an arm around his aching ribs. He needed to open his angel power, but he was afraid. Afraid that he wasn't healed enough yet and it would do more damage to his body.

It didn't matter the crazed demon was snorting and about to charge again. Matthew had to protect the people in the house. "Angel power-" He felt the warmth of his power pulling into him but it was like acid replaced the blood pumping in his veins. None of that mattered, the only thing Matthew could think about was opening a level one power and keeping the demon from hurting anyone. He grit his teeth ready to summon the rest of his power when something crashed over the demons head sending him crumpling to the ground.

A second strike came. Then a third and Matthew had to block his face to keep blood splatter off it. Four bone crushing muscle mutilating hits latter the noise went quiet and Matthew chanced looking up. There, standing before the now annihilated pulp that was once a demon, stood another demon whose skin was black like oil. He stood taller than Matthew but not quite as tall as Holland would be. The new demon was panting slightly for exertion and looking over his dirtied white pajamas with distaste.

"Are you alright little angel?" The man spoke, bracing his weapon on the floor like a cane as he finally faced the blond still sitting on the cold tiles. The demon was acting like he worked here in Holland's house but Matthew could not for the life of him remember seeing anyone who looked like this dark skinned man. The demon walked across the room continuing to use his weapon like a cane and flipped a light on chasing the shadows out of the main hall and making his skin looking like spilled oil.

Oil? Matthew frowned pushing himself to his feet as the eyed the pointed ears coming up under a messy thatch of black hair back down to the man's very human feet. Five toes each side no hooves or horns. If it wasn't for the skin and ears the man would look like a human being. Matthew finished scanning the man and looked up to his face only to find him smiling back at him. "Are you quiet finished now young lord?" Blue eyes looked back at him. Blue eyes that looked too human. "Sebastian?" Matthew said softly.

The man laughed and nodded. "Yes my dear boy, now you're catching on."

"But you're…you're…" What was the other man? Matthew though looking him over again. His face was not so flat any more now that he wasn't bearing reaching Matthews elbow. It was like everything had shifted into place now that it had more room on his larger body. His cheek bones were high and angular and his nose was almost regal but not too pointed. His black lips were now fuller and the whites of his eyes were the same oily color as his skin. The only real color on the man came from his sharp-blue-too-human-eyes. The demons legs beneath his blood stained white pajama pants looked fully human, no longer goat-like with inverted knees. "You're no lesser demon."

Sebastian laughed again. "No. No I am not."

The demon looked attractive in his larger body if Matthew was forced to admit it. Sebastian's sclera was slowly bleeding back to white with every blink right before Matthews eyes. "What's happening to your eyes?" The angel asked nervously, not sure how to feel about this new development. Lesser demons worked for Lord Demons. That was the way of things. There were different levels of Lesser demons of coarse from those who cleaned houses to those who were strong enough to go on missions or defend the Lords home. But Lord Demons did not work for other Lord Demons. At least not in such a lowly position as butler.

"Ah when I sleep and relax my power opens some and then when I woke up startled I forgot to force it back to white again. My apologies. I know it is strange looking."

Matthew swallowed steadying himself against the wall and licked his lips thinking. He had a thousand questions but wasn't sure where to start. "Why do you have a cane?" Not the most important question needing answering but the easiest one to start with. Sebastian blinked once tilting his head and looked down at his once weapon that turned out to actually be a cane. "Oh well. My legs aren't quite what they used to be." He replied chuckling. "They are old and I get sore sometimes changing back and force. Shape shifting isn't so easy you know. Breaking down bones, and muscles, and ligaments, and stretching skin, or shrinking skin, realigning, and stitching back together it's painful."

Matthew breath hitched and he had to force himself not to try and open his angel powers. "You're a shape shifter?" This was Sebastian damn it there was no need to be afraid of Sebastian. He was the man who took care of Matthew. Feed him. Clothed him. Babied him.

Those bright blue eyes were watching Matthew closely before black lips parted and Sebastian answered. "I am alive, Matthew. What need is there for me to label myself any further them that."

"It matters." Matthew insisted. Shape shifters were dangerous, powerful creatures. Ones Matthew didn't like to mess with because they could mess with your head. Change into anyone you know.

"It matters to whom? And why?"

"It matters to me, because you just used your walking stick to smash that demons head in without even blinking Sebastian." Matthew said raising his voice as he pointed at the bloody pulp that was once a demon.

Sebastian sighed heavily before walking right up to Matthew and placing a hand on his check. "Young Lord. It does not matter…because I would never use that power on you." Matthew suddenly felt choked up and he had to blink rapidly to keep his eyes from burning. "I-"

"Shh." Sebastian leaned forward and kissed the top of Matthews head. "Let's get you to bed."

Sebastian started to lead them back towards the stairs and Matthew followed feeling like an idiot for ever fearing the man. "Sebastian I'm -"

"Sleeping in Gilberts room? I know. What kind of butler would I be if I didn't know where everyone was spending their nights hum?" The man winked as if sharing a coconspirators secret with Matthew as they made their way up the stairs, Sebastian leaning on the railing heavily trying to work out the stiffness in his legs. "Don't worry I won't tell the Master or that angel when they return. I have a feeling neither one would be very pleased with the two of you sharing a bed."

"Then you know about-"

"Gilbert and Ivan yes. What an interesting turn out that was." Sebastian chuckled again reaching the top of the stairs and starting to use his cane again. The stick was made out of some smooth black polished wood and its handle was arched to better fit a Sebastian's hand.

"Is this your real form?" Matthew asked lowering his voice as they got closer to Gilberts room.

"Yes."

"Does Holland know you're not a lesser demon?"

"Oh without a doubt. Holland knows the power levels of everyone in his house."

The both paused outside Gilberts door and Matthew was ringing his hands. "Sebastian…why did that demon break into the house?"

"The trouble in the east must have traveled further then we thought is all. Don't worry. I will handle everything. You go to sleep." Matthew would have scoffed if he hadn't just watched Sebastian completely crush that other demon with nothing but his cane.

"Alright…good night Sebastian."

"Good night little lord."

Review?


	17. leaving

Matthew pushed the door shut behind him and pressed his back against the solid wood sighing. Red eyes peered back at him through the dark glowing like an animals in the dark. "Why didn't you get up?" Matthew hissed across the room at Gilbert scowling at the outline of the shadow demon in the dark.

"I didn't hear anything till you had already left the room." Gilbert replied back. "Better question. Why did you get up?"

"I heard someone moving around down stairs. I just wanted to check it out in case Holland had come back." Matthew said huffing in annoyance. "Wait so you were awake after I left the room?"

"Yeah. Woke up after the door shut. Your side of the bed was still warm, figured you mutsa just got up." Gilbert replied.

"So you heard when that thing tried to kill me and you could be bothered to get your lazy ass out of bed!" The angel growled raising his voice a little pushing away from to door and stopping half way into the room.

Gilbert sighed like he was put out before he shrugged and snuggled down deeper into his blankets. "Well I considered getting up, but then I heard the sound of someone getting beaten to a pulp and figured either you were winning or you were already dead so no need for me to leave the warmth of my bed to see a mess on the floor."

"You are an asshole!" Matthew walked the rest of the distance across the room and snatched Gilberts covers away making the demon let out a pitiful whine. "Oh Matthew stop it! I was just kidding! I knew Sebastian would handle it. Come on give them back."

The angel held his prize out of Gilberts reach chuckling softly. "It serves you right!"

Gilbert growled softly under his breath before leaning forward and grabbing Matthew around the waist jerking him onto the bed so that they were a tangle of limbs but Gilbert was happily back under his bedspreads.

Matthew kicked weakly at the other man before he rolled of him onto his own side of the bed. "You're a dick."

"You love me." he albino replied yawning. "Don't worry I won't tell Holland you just fell into bed with me after he left."

"You are disgusting you know that."

Gilbert chuckled tiredly and Matthew smiled at the darkness letting his eyes grow heavy again. Morning would bring Francis and he would have to try and explain to one of his best friends how he was being courted by a demon.

~!#$%^&*()_~!#$%^&*()_+

Matthew woke up slowly. The light in the room told him it was some time around ten in the in the morning. He yawned and rolled away from Gilbert before blinking tiredly at the man sitting beside the bed.

"Bonjour Matthieu. Your spending time with demons has made you a late sleeper I see." The blond man chuckled setting down the book he'd been reading giving Matthew his full attention.

Francis had his hair, that looked startlingly similar to Matthews, pulled back in a loose ponytail leaving a few stray strands to frame his face. Matthew could smell the aftershave the man used on his well-maintained facial hair and he was dressed somewhere in the middle between casual and classy that Matthew could never pull off. Francis had his legs crossed and his hands resting on his lap and raised an eye brow at Matthew's silent examination before giving him a smile that reached at the way to his eyes.

The smile made something in Matthew's chest tighten painfully and he had to suck in a sharp breath to try and keep his nose from starting to run. "I didn't think I was ever going to see you again."

It wasn't until the words had left Matthews mouth that he realized how true they were. When Holland had caught him on his lands and forced him into an oath Matthew had given up hope of rescue before the idea had ever really taken hold. He knew that no one back home would remember he'd even left let alone know that he had never come back so he had resigned himself to the fact that if he couldn't escape on his own he was never going to see any of his friends again.

His eyes burned and Francis made a clicking sound with his tongue in distaste at the tears before he knelt down on the floor, laying his head against the mattress to be on the same level as Matthew as he pet hair out of the younger angels face. "Il va être bien. Je suis ici." (It is going to be fine. I am here.)

Matthew's breath caught as he tried to suck in a deep breath to keep from letting the tears fall and felt an arm wrap around his waist. Gilbert snuggled into the angels back breathing still deep as he woke from his slumber. "You can cry birdie…I won't tell." He whispered voice thick with sleep and Matthew lost it.

The tears came in buckets and he couldn't suck in a breath without making a horribly pitiful whimpering sound. And when he wasn't breathing in, choking on air, he was bawling so hard his whole body shook.

He'd been so hurt when Ivan had come that he hadn't had a chance to have and emotional break down at seeing someone he thought he'd never see again. And Ivan always had a tendency to turn up when Matthew least expected it so It hadn't felt so painful seeing the giant man. But Francis. Fun loving Francis, who hardly ever fought and more times than not ended confrontations with a swift retreat or a treaty, Matthew never ever expected to see him again.

It took almost twenty minutes before Matthew had calmed down enough to finally speak through the hiccupped sobbing. "I kissed and demon…I think I liked it?"

Francis laughed out loud and Matthew could practically feel Gilbert smiling behind him. "Oh you poor thing." The older blond chuckled tugging on a strand of Matthew's hair. "You were so not ready to be immerged in such a relaxed world of demons. You don't even know what to do with yourself do you."

"You trust them." It was a statement not a question and Matthew had calmed down enough that his voice wasn't shaking when he spoke and there was a frown fix firmly on his face.

Francis sat up so he was no longer lying against the bed, but stayed on the floor so he could look at Matthew in the eye as he sighed. "I do."

"How?" Matthew whispered like someone may hear them speak such traitorous things aloud. "How can you trust demons Francis?"

"It was demons who saved my life Matthew." The blond replied seriously. "Demons who spirited me back to heaven when I was left behind on a mission. Not a single angel came back for me. I knew Gilbert and Antonio before that mission but Holland. I'd never even met him. He and Antonio don't even get along because Holland used to be a lesser demon in Antonio's house and it didn't end well when he left. So when he found us three in hiding I was positive I was going to be given to the dogs and had just gotten my two best friends in a world of trouble. But Holland, he took all three of us into his home. Kept me hidden until he could get me back. So yes Matthew, I trust them. I have no reason not to."

Matthew was quiet a moment and Gilbert sighed pulling Matthew onto his back and sat on his stomach. "You trust us too Matthew. So cut the shit and just give in to Holland already your killing me here!"

"Killing you?" Matthew asked before his eyes widened in realization. "You! You have been trying to set us up this whole time! You sneaky little bastard!" Francis shook his head and picked himself up dropping back down into his seat next to the bed as Matthew bucked up unseating Gilbert enough to flip him off allowing Matthew to tackle him. "Mind your own business!"

"What! How can I when you two were dancing around each other like a bunch of school girls." The albino shot back wrestling back with Matthew trying to overpower the blond before the angel used Gilberts own momentum against him letting him surge forward and land on his stomach. Gilbert kicked backwards, but Matthew caught his leg and quickly sat on the offending limbs to keep them still. The shadow demon pushed up with his arms intending to use his upper body to try and twist around to get ahold of Matthew but the angel must have known what Gilbert was thinking because a hand clamped down on the back of his neck keeping his face pressed against the bed and his whole body pinned.

"Well what is this?" The deep voice made Gilbert suck in an almost silent sharp breath and his body shuttered. "Having fun without me?"

"Oh you know." Gilbert replied to the man outside his field of vision. "I hate sleeping alone, you left, and Matthew turned out to be a great bed partner."

"A great bed partner?" Ivan mimicked from the doorway walking further into the room. "You let Matthew top you? You're too cute Gilbert just a natural little bottom."

"It's not like that!" Gilbert half shrieked and Matthew chuckled bumping his pelvis against Gilbert's rump once. "You two are nasty." He said releasing Gilbert as he rolled away standing up off the bed listening to Francis chuckle from his chair.

"Alright you two." Ivan said waving a large hand at Matthew and Gilbert. "Get dressed. We are leaving."

"Leaving?" Matthew suddenly felt sick to his stomach. Were they going to try and steal him while Holland was away?

Ivan nodded childish face actually frowning in seriousness. "It's not safe here right now for so few of us. The Eastern uprising has come too far this way. Sebastian killed four demons last night and two more this morning. We are going to go and met up with Holland, Mathias and his brood."

"What about the lesser demons?" Gilbert asked frowning as Sebastian came into the room ringing his hands. The demon was back to the size Matthew was used to and his little hooves clacked on the floor as he shifted his weight back and forth. "Mister Ivan. A word?"

"Da , give me just a moment." Ivan replied as Gilbert crawled off the bed and started pulling on fresh clothes. "The lesser demons are going to stay here with Seychelles." Ivan replied.

"Seychelles?" Matthew asked frowning.

"She is stronger than she looks." Sebastian said from the doorway. "And Ludwig promised to look in on her at least twice a day…and Gilbert will be here with her." He said keeping his eyes forward avoiding Gilberts horrified look.

"What?" Matthew asked in surprise as Gilbert all but came unglued. "You can't fuck leave me here!"

"You know you can't go Gilbert." Sebastian replied back finally looking at the shadow demon blue eyes narrowed. "That is why they left you here the first time."

Gilbert looked ready to rip out the man's throat and bared his teeth in warning making Sebastian change forms so fast that Matthew took a step back in shock. The now full sized human looking Sebastian stormed towards Gilbert towering over him. "Do not bare your fangs at me boy or I will ripe them out of your skull." Sebastian said in a dangerously soft spoken voice. The air in the room seemed to have dropped ten degrees and Francis touched Matthews arm holding him back from stepping in the middle of the two demons as Ivan pushed his way between them smiling his sickeningly sweet, pissed off smile that made shivers run down Matthew spine. "Now now boys. How about we talk this over?"

"That is what I came here to talk to you about Ivan. Preferably in the hall please." Sebastian said smoothing down the front of his shirt that had shifted with him to fit his new form. Ivan nodded and swept a hand towards the door as if to say 'after you'. When Gilbert made a move to follow them Ivan shot him a narrowed eyed look making him go still again.

"What the hell is going on?" Matthew asked scowling and Gilbert stood deathly still glaring holes into the ground, his hand clenched into knuckle whitening fists.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it." Francis said pulling at Matthews arm. "Come on let's get you dressed." Francis pulled Matthew out of Gilberts room, sparing only a second to touch the demons arm in some sort of apology that Matthew didn't understand before he was led down the hall past a frowning Ivan and a severely pissed looking Sebastian.

"So." Francis said once they were in the safety of Holland's room shutting the door behind him. "Tell me about this demon you kissed."

Matthew flushed and forgot about whatever problem Gilbert was having and focused on his own. "I don't know what to do Francis…I…"Matthew fell quiet and chewed at his lip before dropping to the bed, sitting on the edge. "It's like…I have been screaming my whole life and no one has ever heard me." Matthew avoided looking at Francis knowing he was going to see the guilt in the other man's eyes at forgetting him and Matthew couldn't handle anyone else's guilt right now but his own. "And then suddenly…someone could hear me Francis. Hear me and see me and remember me. But instead of some amazing proclamation of love and devotion from a woman all I got was a 'shut up, I'm right here.' from Holland…I don't think anyone will ever understand how much it hurts."

"To be forgotten?" The other angel asked softly.

Matthew shook his head. "To be seen after being invisible for so long. Holland is the most inconsiderate man I have ever met. He doesn't understand what it was like to be able do anything I wanted without having to explain myself. It was lonely sure but I could stand that. Suddenly having this-this demons eyes on me all the time I felt like I was going to crawl out of my skin. And he was relentless! I threw up the first time we kissed. You think he would have gotten the point then that I wanted nothing to do with him but no. He kept on pushing and pushing and pushing and now…Now I…"

"Am in love?" Francis asked making look up sharply. The older angel was smiling widely arms crossed across his chest as he leaned up against Holland's drawers. "That was not what I was going to say." Matthew insisted scowling.

"But it's what you feel." Francis replied shrugging.

"How can you say that? Being friends with them is one thing, but loving them?" Matthew got up from the bed and started pacing like a caged animal making Francis chuckle some more. "And he is a MAN! How do you expect me to get over that little fact? It's a sin! That goes against the word of G-"

"Matthieu please don't take me the wrong way, but how can love ever be wrong?"

The younger angel suddenly felt out of breath. Like he'd run a marathon. Could he really be in love? Against all odds, with his captor no less. Wasn't that like Stockholm syndrome or something?

"Just think about it. And give the damn man a break." Francis said before pulling clothes out of the closet for him. "Come on you need to get dressed so we can get going."

"Have you ever seen Sebastian change form like that?" Matthew asked pushing all thoughts of Holland out of his head.

Francis was quiet a moment looking at a shirt like it was the most interesting thing in the world. "Holland asked Sebastian to watch over Gilbert when he is gone…Sebastian takes his job very seriously."

"But why doesn't Sebastian want Gilbert coming with us? I know Sebastian is a badass or whatever but I have fought Gilbert before. He can hold his own if he wanted to." Matthew asked peeling off his clothes from the night before and pulling on the new ones Francis had picked out for him.

"That's not my story Mattieu…I just…I couldn't tell you that without feeling like I'd betrayed Gilberts trust in me. He will tell you when he is ready."

"I know he is one of the Fallen." Matthew spit out hopping by proving he already knew some that Francis would supply him with the rest of the information.

Francis blinked looking mildly surprised before shaking his head. "It's about THEM. And if you don't know about THEM then I'm not talking anymore."

Matthew frowned letting out a huff of air through his nose before shaking his head and pulling on his pants. "If you just tell me maybe I can help him you know?"

"No…no one can fix what was done to him Matthew. Not you or me. Not Ivan or Ludwig. And Not Holland no matter how desperately we all might want to."

Matthew sighed picking at the dark jeans Francis had given him. "You didn't wear your battle armor..."

"No. why?" Francis asked tilting his head.

"You are a terrible negotiator." Matthew said shaking his head. "I have never gone into demon territory without my armor on."

Francis pouted. "But it's so heavy and bulky and I just hate it. You and Alfred can pull it off but it just doesn't go with my figure at all."

"Francis it's not for looks!" Matthew half laughed at the absurdity of the situation. Only Francis would worry about how his uniform for battle looked.

Francis chuckled with him handing him a sweater before hooking an arm around his shoulder. "Come on they should be done bitching by now."

Matthew walked with Francis down the hall trying to wrap his head around everything that was happening so quickly. Holland leaving, Ivan leaving, finding out Gilbert was really and ex-angel, the break ins, Francis showing up, now they were leaving again. He wasn't sure he wanted to leave. What if they didn't find Holland and he ended up going back to Heaven?

"Their letting you go?" Francis asked sounding surprised drawing Matthew out of his thoughts as he looked up and saw Gilbert dressed and ready to go standing between Ivan and Sebastian.

"Yeah so long as I stick with mom and dad here they said I could go." Gilbert said not looking pleased though not as royally pissed looking at Sebastian.

"I am serious Gilbert. You wonder off one time and I will send you right-"

"Yes yes mother I get it! I'm on a short leash. You want me to hold your hand too?" Gilbert snapped at Sebastian making the taller man make a sound like a growl surprising Matthew. He'd never seen Sebastian angry before. Not when he first got here and broke things all over the house. Not when he refused to eat or when he forced the black skinned demon forget him. Not when he lost control tried to kill Ludwig and got blood everywhere and broke more countless things. But now the butler was holding his cane like he wanted to beat Gilbert upside the head with it and Gilbert in turn was glaring right back.

"Gilbert." Ivan said warningly smiling his creep smile that promised murder should he be ignored and the albino huffed but shot his glare away from Sebastian to the ground before pulling his hood up over his head and heading for the door. "Fine, whatever. Let's go."

Review?


	18. ariving

It took somewhere between 10 and 11 hours to get to the demon city. Matthew had never been to one but he was mildly certain that it didn't normally look like it did now. It was silent. Buildings looked abandoned and only one or two people were peering out their windows down at the small group coming into the city. Sebastian told him to put his hood up and he followed the order without question.

"What's going on here?" Matthew asked softly afraid to raise his voice.

"A large group of demons who lived in the city went crazy. It's a type of disease that slowly kills the brain making them first lose any morals they had and then act extremely violent." Matthew's breath caught in his throat. Holland was standing at the end of the street. He was caught between wanting to run to the other man and demand to know he was alright and turning tail and running.

The demon lord was in his full form. Horns out, eyes glowing like embers in a fire, his tail whipping back and forth in agitation. That wasn't what bothered Matthew though. No, he had seen all this before. It was the blood that was covering the demon that made Matthews stomach turn.

"Whats happened to you?" Matthew asked weakly.

"My Lord, are you alright?" Sebastian asked taking a step forward.

"I'm fine." Holland waved him away and teleported across the street to stand right before them. "Why are you all here?" He asked eyes trailing over Matthew. "Too eager to leave me Matthew? You couldn't wait for me to come back home, you had to bring your negotiator out here with you?"

"It wasn't like that." Matthew said shaking his head shocked. Holland was being harsh. He looked angry at seeing them all there which Matthew was not expecting.

"There was a break in at the house Sir." Sebastian said speaking up, coming between Holland's steady gaze and Matthews confused one. "Several actually. I thought it best to leave the house and come help you. Seychelles is guarding the house while we are away and Ludwig promised to watch over her."

"It spread that far?" Holland asked frowning.

"Yes sir."

The demon lord was frowning harder before his gaze fell on Gilbert who had been standing close to Ivan like he feared the other man's reaction. "I told you to leave him at home Sebastian."

"The others would not leave without him." Sebastian replied sounding bitter about the fact. "I'm sorry Holland I couldn't convince them otherwise."

Gilberts red eyes narrowed at the spiky haired man. "I am right here Holland. Don't talk about me like I am not."

Holland teleported again, this time appearing right before Gilbert, standing too close to be friendly. "You have traveled a long way haven't you?" Holland said softly placing a blood covered hand against the shadow demons face. "A long long way you must be starving Gil." A bloody finger traced over Gilberts bottom lip leaving a streak of blood from cheek to his mouth and he let out a hard exhale like he was trying to force the smell filling his nose away from him but refused to back up. His body was shaking though Matthew wasn't sure why.

"Gilbert is a blood drinker Matthew." Francis said softly in his ear grabbing a hold of the younger angels arm to keep him from getting in the way of the two angry demons. "It's part of the reason he wasn't supposed to come."

"Get away from me." Gilbert half growled, shadows licking at his heels as if to tempt him into the safety of the darkness away from this furious looking Holland.

"Why should I? You knew better than to come out here. You knew that you would be nothing more than a hindrance to us. Go back home Gilbert where you are your brothers problem not mine."

Something like hurt flickered across Gilberts face before his eyes hardened again. "You're a bastard and I'm not going anywhere."

Holland shook his head turning away from the albino. "We need to get you all inside. Come on." Gilbert wiped away the blood on his face angrily as the group followed wearily after the Demon Lord.

Holland led them to a hotel that didn't seem to have electricity. Candles covered table tops and counters, Mathias and his group who were sitting in the lobby only Mathias and Norge stood. Something tightened in Matthew's chest. Tino was laying against Su's chest the both of them covered in filth and looking exhausted. Ice had a bandage wrapped around his arm that was resting on his stomach that looked like it was still bleeding through and he was passed out on the other couch. Norge was a mess of nicks and cuts and had a limp in his step that made Matthew think there was something wrong with his right knee. Mathias was the worst off. There was a bandage wrapped haphazardly around his head covering one eye. Blood stains at the top of his pants signaling a wound somewhere on his chest that was still ozzing blood. He was smiling his signature giant smile that remind Matthew of Alfred but he was rocking slowly like he was having trouble staying on his feet. Norge leaned against Mathias making it look like it was to take weight off his own feet but was in actual fact to help steady and support the larger man.

"This is where we are holding up for now." Holland said in a hushed voice. "Mathias how about we get everyone to bed. There is nothing out there for now."

"You have only been gone a day." Matthew said looking them all over.

"It was worse than we thought." Holland replied rubbing the back of his head.

Matthew made a chocked noise, all their eyes were on him and he felt sickness rise up in him again. "You can't go to bed covered in that mess."

"The showers don't work." Mathias said with a shrug.

"Is there no water at all?"

"Kitchen. It's cold though. The owner has been instructed to keep the power off so we don't attract attention." Holland replied.

Matthew did solo missions. He didn't work in the infirmary ever despite what others told him about the healing powers of angels he'd never used his own. He was made to fight, to kill, to deal with screaming and begging and blood.

Not this.

Not this silent resignation to pain. Not this filth that covered them while they were still breathing. Death. He could do death. The mess, the pain, the gore. It was what he did but at the end of the day he went home and showered it all off.

He couldn't handle the thought of these people going to bed looking like the dead. He could feel his panic rising. They were demons. It shouldn't matter but it did. Tino who he had seen loved Su openly and without shame. Ice, who he had saved from a kelpe. Norge who was solemn and never showed his emotions had protected his friends fiercely when Matthew had attacked them. Mathias, who had watched over him while Holland have him his mark. He couldn't let them look like the dead.

"Please I-"

"I will help you." Francis said setting a hand on Matthews shoulder. "We can fill bowls with water and at least get the most of the dirt off keep infection out. Give you all new bandages so you will be more comfortable when you sleep."

Mathias laughed and nodded. "Alright that does sound lovely. Five star actually." The larger man stumbled back a little and Norge made a chocked noise of strain trying to keep him upright before Sebastian helped them both to the free love seat.

"Come on Matthew Lets go get bowls. Ivan could you have Holland show you where they are keeping their medical kits. Gilbert some wash clothes if you can find them would be great." The albino nodded and headed into the darkness of the hall with comfort of someone who was used to the dark.

Matthew realized his hands were shaking as Francis led him into the back kitchen. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine…how bad is it Francis that in one day they could look like that."

The older blond sighed and handed Matthew a large mixing bowl waving him towards the sink to fill it. "It's really almost been two days Mathieu and even lesser demons are powerful when they loss their minds."

"Why aren't any angels here to settle it?" Matthew asked lifting his now filled container. It was heavy but at least it kept his hands from shaking. "It's our job to handle crazy demons."

"Angels…"Francis repeated filling his own dish. "Pray they don't come."

Matthew didn't have time to ask what that meant before large bang startled them. They sat still a moment and nothing followed. "It was outside…come on let's get back."

Gilbert was in the lobby already waiting for them and held up some sheets. "Will these do?" He asked.

"They are perfect." Francis said giving his friend a smile and getting to work with ease. He knelt by Ice and spoke softly rousing the boy as he ripped the sheets into workable pieces.

Matthew wasn't sure where to start and stood awkwardly for a moment before Mathias waved his hand to Tino and Su as if to say 'start with them'

Matthew pushed down his bile again and strode across the room towards the too who were just starting to sit up. Gilbert brought Matthew some of the ripped sheets before walking off again to help Francis take off Ice's bandage.

"Th-" Matthew paused to clear his throat. "The water is cold. But it will at least get off the dirt." Su nodded looking tired but still his same old serious self before taking a piece of cloth and dipping it in the water. He slowly cleaned his smaller lovers face and Matthew started washing off Tino's arms.

The man looked at Matthew for a moment eyes still filled with anger from being attacked by the angel before he softened reaching his hand down and lifting Matthews lowered face. "You're sick."

Matthew shook his head quickly hands shaking again now that he wasn't holding the water any more. "I'm fine."

"No I can see it. Your lung never healed right. You walked here in one day. That's a long day. You wore your body out. You need rest."

Matthew swallowed hard feeling his eyes burning. They were worried about him while they were covered in the carnage of war. "I'm sorry. I need to help the others still. Do you think you can wash yourselves?"

Tino opened his mouth to protest but Su placed a finger on the younger demons lips keeping him quiet. "We can thank you." He replied in a deep voice.

Matthew dipped his cloth in the quickly dirtying water before jumping to his feet and going to Mathias. Norge was sitting in the larger demons lap despite the room on the couch for both of them. "I'm going to take off the bandage on your head is that alright?" Mathias have Matthew a lopsided smile and nodded. "Go for it. You're the doctor today."

Matthew swallowed back bile again setting his cloth on the arm of the couch before working off the dirtied bandage from Mathias. The covered eye was swollen shut and blood was clotted a little under the demon lord's hair line leaving steaks all down his face. "What do you think doctor? Am I still pretty?"

Norge shook his head rolling his eyes and Matthew used shaking hands to free the older man from the blood covering it. "It's alright. You don't have to clean it. We can do it." Mathias said gently grabbing a hold of Matthews trembling hands.

"I'm sorry." Matthew whispered back hardly able to force the words out. "I'm so sorry that I attacked you before. I'm just so sorry. I-"

"You're a cute little thing." Mathias said laughing again patting Matthews head before Norge lifted the angels face and wiped away his tears. "Don't worry about it. It was exciting." The larger blond said laughter in his voice. "We all lived and are good friends now right!"

Good friends? Matthew thought. Yes he could be good friends with them even if they were a little crazy. "Where is Ivan with those new bandages?" Francis asked.

"I will go find him." Matthew said jumping up wiping at his face to clear it of tears. The angel rushed down the hall feeling ridiculous with how out of breath he was from the swift retreat. He slowed to a walk a paused when he heard voices.

Someone was arguing. Matthew took two steps closer to the corner and pressed himself against the wall to listen better.

"You should have never brought him! Do you know what will happen when the angels come?"

Holland? Matthew wondered.

"Comrade I could not leave him behind. He would have followed regardless and you know that. It was safer for us to bring him with us so we could watch him."

"Ivan you just don't understand! You have never seen how he handles the stress of being arrested. And God forbid it be someone he knows from before. I don't give a shit what kind of relationship you too have but if he gets hurt because you brought him out here…" Holland faded off leaving the threat open.

Arrested? Who would be arrested? Gilbert? For what?

"Look there is nothing we can do about it now. He is here. I will talk to him and if the angels come I will tell him to stay hidden and I will keep him out of the way until then."

They were silent for a moment and Matthew held his breath. Did they realize he was here?

Holland sighed. "He best be kept safe Ivan or I will kill you do you understand."

"Da. I will keep him in my sights at all times."

"I'm going to bed. Make sure the others are taken care off and you all get some sleep to. I will wake everyone in the morning when it's time to go."

Footsteps headed towards Matthew. There was nowhere to hide. They would know he'd been listening in. Shit he should have thought this out better.

Candle light came around the corner first, followed by Ivan's large frame. They blinked at each other for a moment Ivan looking slightly confused as if trying to figure out who was standing before him before he smiled. "You should not try and make me forget you Matvy. I have a hard enough time remembering when you are not using your powers on me." The giant was getting better at seeing though Matthews power. The smaller angel wasn't sure whether to be pleased or disappointed.

"Sorry Ivan."

"You best go catch up with your partner if you plan on sharing his bed tonight." Matthew blushed and Ivan chuckled. "Go on. I will take care of everyone else."

The blond pushed away from the wall and rushed down the dark hall away from the light. "Holland." He called out softly. The shaking in his hands was getting worse and he felt like an asthmatic as he forced air into his panicked lung picking up his pace. "Holland!" His voice raised and he could hear the strain in it ever though the blood pounding through his ears. He was almost full out running. "HOL-oof" Someone hooked an arm around him as he was about to rush past their door.

"You are exceptionally loud tonight." The pounding in Matthews ears eased and he let out a chocked sound between a sob and a laugh. "I'm sorry." He apologized weakly.

"You're shaking…are you cold?" Holland asked pulling them into his room. Two candles cast light across the sparsely furnished room.

"I'm not feeling well." Matthew finally admitted. "I'm dizzy."

Holland picked the angel up and set him on the bed giving him a look over. "You're pale…the trip wore you out didn't it?"

"I'm just…" Matthew swallowed not sure what he was. "I'm sorry."

Holland sighed standing upright and rubbed at the back of his head. "No. I'm sorry. I was harsh with you and I didn't mean to be."

"Mathias eye-"

"It will be alright. Mathias heals fast and Francis is a decent healer."

"Su and Tino. They didn't look too bad."

"They shared a bite earlier. It speed up their healing." Holland replied pulling open drawers looking for something to wear to bed out of the few things that they hotel owner had spared for them.

"But Norge. He could Bite Mathias and help-"

"He already did." Holland said cutting Matthew off. That sick feeling raised up in Matthew again and he was tempted to vomit all over the ugly carpeted floor.

"Don't worry Matthew. We will be alright." Holland said walking back towards the bed and touching his face.

"Why is this happening?"

"It happens from time to time. The best thing we can hope for is to shut this down before the angels come." Holland replied kneeling down to look at Matthew again pushing hair out of his face. "You would never work in a hospital. You looked like you were going to pass out when you saw them." Holland smiled and Matthew shook his head.

"My first thought was it would be more humane to kill them and put them out of their misery." Matthew whispered staring hard at the floor.

Holland chuckled. "That's why you're an angel." Matthew chuckled at the ridiculousness of that statement before he coughed. "Matthew…I know you may not want me too…but if I bite you, you may feel better."

Matthew frowned looking into Holland's face. "Would it help you any?"

The demon lord blinked at that before smiling. "A bit. Angel blood helps speed up healing and it would double up with the fact you're my…um bonded partner."

"Do it…but get rid of those horns." Matthew said blushing pushing down the corner of his pants exposing his healed over ugly mark.

Holland didn't have to be asked twice. His horns curled back into his head and the dark skin around his eyes lightened again leaving his eyes looking like their normal amber. He pulled Matthews pants all the way down till they bunched at his shoes making the angel let out a startled noise. Holland chuckled and placed a kiss against Matthews scar before his mouth closed over it and his teeth sank in.

Matthew let out a gasp head falling back. It felt better then he thought it would. The shape pain was startling, but it was quickly followed by a feeling of completeness and then a tingling feeling like he was getting a hickey. His leg jerked involuntarily and he fought down the arousal that filled him.

"Oh God." Holland chuckled and Matthew felt like he might die when he felt his member twitch. "S-stop. Oh God stop!"

The spikey haired blond gave one more good suck before he let his fangs slip out and Matthew let out a sigh falling back onto the bed. "Holy shit."

Holland licked his lips and Matthew blushed harder hoping the demon couldn't see it in the poor lighting.

"So…you liked it I take it?" Holland asked.

"I don't even know what to say about that." Matthew replied breathless.

"No need to speak at all. Your giant hard on tells me all I need to know." Holland replied placing an opened mouth kiss dangerously close to Matthew's vital regions.

"Cut it out!" Matthew squeaked forcing Holland away with a solid kick before he was jerked off the bed making a loud crashing noise. "Bastard!"

Holland laughed placing a nibbled against Matthews ankle making him epp pulling his foot back before rolling and straddling Holland's waist leaning over and biting the demon above the knee with his blunt teeth. "OWW! Not so hard!"

"Don't be such a baby!" Matthew said back.

They wrestled against one another for almost twenty minutes banging against the floor and the walls all the while laughing and breathless before Matthew pinned Holland to the ground.

They panted trying to catch their breath for a moment before Matthew was unseated and tossed back onto the bed. The old frame squeaked loudly in protest at the extra weight as Holland climbed on too, towering over Matthew. "Surrender angel. There is no hope for escape."

Matthew chuckled "Who said I was trying to escape?" He asked softly and Holland paused a moment blinking down at the angel who smiled back at him.

One good shove and Holland was on his back Matthew sitting firmly on his waist facing forwards this time laughing. "You're so easily distracted Holland. How do you ever win a battle? All they have to do is bat their pretty little eyes at you and you're done for."

"Only the pretty ones." Holland replied grinning and Matthew chuckled again. His grin faded a little and he leaned forward pressing teeth gently against Holland's throat before the bite turned into a kiss and then he was sucking at the skin. Holland let out a sound that rumbled all the way from the back of his throat through Matthew's mouth and the angel felt something firm pressing up against his inner thigh. His own member twitched and he had butterflies in his stomach as he sucked harder and nibbled at the skin in his mouth.

When Matthew pulled back Holland was a little breathless and staring sightlessly at the ceiling. "There." Matthew said softly swallowing hard. "Now you have my mark too."

Holland blinked twice before a hand flew to his neck and he chuckled. "Thank you."

Matthew's face was on fire he was blushing so hard. "You're welcome."

Holland's hands came and rested on Matthews naked waist making him stiffen in surprise not sure what Holland was going to try and do after that obvious come on. Matthew wasn't sure he could take that leap to sex with a man yet and a demon at that. He could feel his heart pick up pace before Holland spoke. "We should get some sleep."

"Sleep?" Matthew mimicked blinking. "O-oh yeah right! I'm sorry you've had a long day and-"

Holland silenced Matthew with a kiss. "I had fun. Maybe tomorrow we can get out of this town and I can take you on that date?"

"Date?" Matthew whispered the word enjoying the warmth that spread through him at the idea. "Yeah…I would like that."

Holland smiled at Matthew just looking at him. The angel swallowed hard before he took a deep breath and leaned down. The kiss was slow and sweet and everything Matthew had ever wanted.

He pulled back and Holland was staring at him looking both shocked and pleased at the same time with a stupid smile on his face. "Go to sleep." Matthew said suddenly climbing off the other man and claiming his side of the bed. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Holland whispered back smiling even wider as he touched his own lips.

REVIEW?


	19. demons angel power

Matthew yawned rubbing at his eyes. The room was still dark and the candles had long since gone out, but he was warm and felt a million times better then when he'd arrived.

Holland was holding him in his sleep making Matthew smile slightly. The larger man had buried his head against Matthew's chest like a child would to hide from the morning light except there was no light coming through the windows yet. More than likely the man was craving human contact after his rough two days. The angel ran a hand through Holland's spiked hair before sighing. They needed to get up.

"Holland…Holland come on we need to get up."

The demon made a whining sound before raising his head and blinking at Matthew seeming confused before he smiled. "You really are here."

The angel smile shaking his head. "So it seems. Come on. We have to wake the others and get moving. You said you wanted to move early right?"

Holland nodded untangling himself from the other man dropping onto the floor with an uff. Matthew smiled despite himself, Holland was unbearably cute in this early in the morning. The angel shook his head and want about finding his pants and shoes that he had lost in last night's battle before pulling open. He stretched out in the hall way and gave a short wave to a yawning Gilbert down the hall. He must have spent the night with Ivan as there was no way the demon had gotten up that early on his own, previous angel or not.

Gilbert waved back before smiling widely and making his way down the hall. "So how was it?" He asked in a hushed voice.

"How was what?" Matthew asked scratching at the back of his head. Oh what he wouldn't give for a brush right now. His hair must be in knots.

"Oh don't give me that." Gilbert said smiling even wider giving Matthew a nudge. "We all heard you banging around up here last night. So you finally gave in huh? Your ass hurt this morning champ? Don't worry it's not always as painful as the first time."

Matthew blinked once innocently at Gilbert. "Well mines fine." He said before leaning forward and lowering his voice even more. "Don't you might wanna check with Holland. I think I may have been a little too rough with him."

Gilbert blinked rapidly at that trying to digest that information before he opened his mouth to call Matthew a liar and Holland came limping out of the room rubbing the back of his head. The albino's eyes widened a little before he spotted the hickey resting right below Holland's angel feather earing then the red orbs were almost swallowed by the white rimming his eyes. Without another word the shadow demon took off back down to the room he came out off. "Ivan I wanna to-" His words were cut off as the door closed behind him.

Holland blinked in confusion and Matthew shrugged innocently. "You hurt yourself falling off the bed?"

The demon lord grunted nodding his head yes and rubbing at his hip. "Banged up my already bruised hip. I just need to walk it out."

"Come on then. Let's go down stairs and see who is already up."

Down in the main lobby Francis was serving breakfast. "Food?" Holland asked sounding famished. "Where did you get that?"

The older angel smiled setting a plate with a sparse, but delicious looking amount of food before Mathias. "I went out to check for crazies and came across some food."

"I am mildly sure that the proper name for these…unhealthy demons is crazies Francis and you did not just come across food. You stole it didn't you?" Matthew said crossing his arms as Holland rolled his eyes and sat at the table.

"I will repent for my crimes later. Three Hail Mary's and an Our Father." The older blond said with a shrug giving Holland a plate as the demons chuckled. "Besides I don't think the man would have minded."

"And why is that?" Matthew asked dropping down into his own seat frowning.

"Because he was dead when I took the food." Francis smiled at Matthew giving him his own dish and the younger angel decided not to dig any deeper into that story.

Ivan and a red faced Gilbert joined the group a little later mumbling their greatings before Norge spoke up.

"So we are going to do one last scout before we leave?" He asked making his brother, who was leaning against him, stir into wakefulness.

Holland nodded. "Yes. I was hoping we could help these people one last time trying to pick off any stragglers we find before we head for North."

"We will need to be quick." Sebastian said. "It is early morning so we may find some sleeping rebels still but it also means the Angels can be here at any time. I wouldn't dilly dally sir." The black skinned demon was in his proper form picking up empty plates along with Francis.

Holland nodded rubbing the back of his head glancing at Gilbert out of the corner of his eye. "Alright. Best to get a move on then."

"Why North?" Matthew asked frowning. "Why not head home?"

"We do not want the angels to know where we live." Su spoke up startling Matthew. The bespectacled man hardly ever spoke.

"What difference does it make?"

"Matthieu, if angels know where a demon lives that means they can send you to handle them either now or in the future." Francis explained after a moment of silence.

"Me?" Matthew mimicked shaking his head. "No. I only deal with demons that have crossed the line."

"Who decides when demons have crossed a line?" Ivan asked giving Matthew one of his creepy childish smiles meaning that Matthew was missing something important that everyone else seemed to understand.

"Never mind. We can explain it to you later Angel. We need to get going now." Holland said cutting off any more discussion as he stood up.

Everyone followed suit and stood so Matthew woofed down his food and decided to remember to ask Francis about this fear of the angel thing later. Sebastian quickly came up and mothered Matthew like he always did. Pulling up his hood to hide his face and scolding him for not bringing gloves when it was so cold and reminding him to please stay out of the way if the was a fight and not to worry about a thing. It was comforting to know even if the man changed forms he was still the same mother hen.

Every filed outside stretching but keeping quiet before Holland took the lead and started their search around town. Gilbert was being escorted again by Ivan and Sebastian though he tried to make a point of wandering as far as the pissed off demon would let him before he was forced back into his placed between them.

They searched six houses top to bottom and made it two blocks before it all went to hell.

"Holland!" Francis's panicked filled voice filled the street before lights perched at the tops of builds came to life and blinded them. Someone grabbed Matthews arm and he was jerked to the side before he blinked confused at Francis as Angels dropped down from the sky. Two knocked over Su and pinned him down. A third locked Tino in a choke hold. Ice and Norge were pulled apart and pressed into the walls on opposite sides of the street. Mathias had two men holding his arms behind him just like Holland and Sebastian. They all allowed it without fighting or struggling confusing Matthew even more.

"What the hell is going on?" He hissed trying to get away from Francis so he could demand they release his friends.

"They are demons in a hot zone Matthieu." Francis replied in a hushed whispered keeping him out of the way with a frighteningly strong grip.

"But…" Then it all came together. Why they wanted to leave town before the angels arrived. That it wouldn't just be gilbert arrested but all of the demons for being in a zone angels decided was considered "hot" or "dangerous" until it was later decided if they were guilty or not.

Do first ask questions later. The motto of an angel. But they had been worried about Gilbert, Matthew remember before his eyes jerked, searching the group for the shadow demon just as the panicked panting registered in Matthews ears.

The albino had been knocked to his knees and his arms twisted behind his back. He was shaking and was straining his arms to pull as far away from the angel behind him as he could. He was hanging his head, but Matthew could see his eyes were too large. Like a trapped animals when it's been back into a corner and can't think of a way out.

"I can't go back. I can't go back. I can't I can't I can't." The soft spoken words poured from Gilberts mouth like he wasn't even aware he was speaking them and he jerked his arms forward making the Angel stumble and a second one joined him grabbing at Gilberts arms as a third tried to put cuffs on him.

"Stop fighting us. We are taking you in weather you like it or not" One of the angels hissed and for a moment it was like everything went still and then Gilbert screamed. His whole thrashed shaking off the angels as best he could. "I'm not going! I won't go back to that place!" Crazed red eyes landed on Holland as he was slammed into the ground on his stomach so someone could lay on him as they continued to fight to get his restraints on. "HOLLAND! PLEASE! Please don't let them take me back there. Please! God I'm begging you please!" Matthew watched horrified as tears poured down the normally cocky man's face.

That's when things went from bad to worse. "Gilbert, look at me. Look at me, you need to calm down. It's fine." Holland said gently at first before he tried to take a step towards the panicked man and he was forced to stay where he was. "Look I'm just trying to help him. He is really freaked out if you will just let me-" The angel holding Holland told him to shut up and stay out of it and then Tino started yelling. "Leave him alone! Can't you see your scaring him?" For which he received a back hand. That made Su let out a growl his horns spiraling out and Mathias yelled. "Don't fucking touch my people!"

The whole group broke into a fit of screaming and yelling and Matthew heard a baby crying two streets down signaling the same process of arrests was happening though out the whole city.

Matthew felt like he was going to throw up watching before suddenly he heard a soft spoken voice through the chaos. He wasn't sure what made him look away from Holland, who was arguing fiercely alongside Sebastian with the angels trying to convince them that they could calm the panicked demon down if they would just give them a second, to look at Gilbert but when he did he heard the whispered words.

"Angel Power Level Maximum."

Giant wings split from the burn marks on Gilberts back ripping away his shirt and hoody making Matthew take a step back in disgust along with the three angels behind the demon. The 'wings' were horribly mutilated, made up mostly or exposed bone showing through the muscle, and skin that was full in some spots and looked like streamers in others, hooked from one joint to the next. There was a strange array of feathers, a lot of the under wing coverts were still in place but were charred making the wings black except for flashes of starling white where the fire hadn't reached. Then the primaries had all the vanes burned away leaving only the charred quills on their wake so when Gilbert stretched out the disturbing blood covered wings it looked like some type of fucked up bones protruding where beautiful full feathers should be.

"Oh God." Francis breathed behind Matthew.

The two burn marks had spread covering his whole shoulder blades and part way down his upper arms. It spread down almost to the small of his back, and a little around his sides making the skin ripple and look like rough leather. Then slowly, like dye spreading through water, Gilberts skin lost its beautiful white color and faded to gray. It was the strangest thing Matthew had ever seen before he realized what it reminded him off. It was the color of ash. It was what Gilbert must have looked like lying beneath his burning wings as the feathers fell down around him covering him in the ashes of his sin that they were burning away from him before they cast him out. There was no Halo above his head

His pure form.

The group fell into stunned silence.

"I will not go back there." He said slowly looking up at the angels around him daring them to and force him now. His eyes seemed to be glowing making him look like a demon even in his 'angel' form. He bared his fangs, only to show his whole mouth full of teeth were sharper and pointed like a sharks, when one took a step towards him. "Be careful. He is a blood drinker. Those teeth are not for show."

Gilbert narrowed his eyes at the leader of the little group of angels. "Gilbert." Ivan spoke up slowly, making the demon jerk his head around like a dog to a new sound. "What are you doing?" He asked walking towards him.

"I can't go back there. You have no idea everything they did. No idea." Gilbert replied hissing out the words.

"No I don't." Ivan agreed continuing slowly towards him. "But to be fair, neither do you." He added with a big childish smile making Gilbert shake his head but not back up. Ivan's arms came around Gilbert pulling him into a hug making the demon relax a little before he let out a shocked sound and shoved away from the large angel. A needle fell to the ground between them. "You bastard." Gilbert said softly staring at the vile empty of liquid. "You son of a fucking bitch." Red eyes met Ivan's purple. "I will kill you."

Gilbert took a stumbling step back before he slipped to his knees and screamed again before he was rushed and handcuffed.

"That was…very…creative of you sir." The leader of the group said as the demons were being led away. "I wasn't aware the fallen could still use angel power." He said lifting Gilberts drugged face to look at him before dropping it like he was nothing and look at Ivan again. "What I am wondering is how three angels got caught up with a group of demons in a hot zone."

"We heard about the problem and arrived early." Francis cut in. "We saw this group of demons, whom I have done work with before in the past and figured we would help them kill the crazies until they could be processed properly for the disease themselves."

"Ah I see. You are a politician. Working with these…creatures then?" The man asked.

"I am." Francis nodded. "It is not an ideal job but someone must do it."

The two laughed but Matthew couldn't understand what was funny. Their friends had just been arrested. Gilbert drugged and were being taken away to be tested for a disease they already knew they didn't have and then would still be held until the angels felt like releasing them again.

"Well I am Adam. I lead this battalion. Come with us. We could have breakfast if you haven't eaten and talk of what part of heaven you are from and then you can rest. Our doors are always open to the angels who serve Gods will."

Review?

You ever have one of those moments. Where, you know, you may not be where you were hoping you would be and you may not have what you hoped you would have. Where no one else is around or maybe you're pilled in a room full of people and you can hardly breathe. But for that one second, you are you. You are completely and utterly yourself, no background noise of this is what I did and this is what I'm going to do, and you get that feeling for content. And it goes beyond anyone's ability to understand. And that alone makes it beautiful because no matter what happens before or after that moment it happened and no one can take it away.


	20. bring them back

Matthew, Ivan and Francis were lead to Adam's sector of heaven and quickly taken to be washed. "We thought you may like a bath after spending a prolonged time with the demons." Adam said with his holier then thou smile and Matthew narrowed his eyes but Francis gushed thanking the man profusely as he himself always felt the need to shower after being exposed to demons.

Matthew almost screamed when he stood under a cool spray of water having expected warm. Ivan narrowed his eyes at the smaller angel though and gave a small shake of his head from across the room under his own shower. Ivan and Francis had a plan. Matthew could tell there was something going on but for the life of him he couldn't understand what.

Matthew let them dry him and brush his hair and give him a new set of clothes all with out complaint. The three of them were dressed in all white clothes and Matthew wished he could pull on his black hoodie just to be spiteful but resisted as they were invited for tea. Francis spoke the easily with the man named Adam. They talked about the weather and the part of Heaven they were all from. They spoke about political affairs. Which Adam said disturbed him that anyone would try to make deals with the devils that lived in the Hell sector. Ivan smiled and nodded along eating up his food with vigor and even complimented their cooking which seemed the please the light haired brunette making him laugh and nodded agreeing that their cooks were the best. All Matthew wanted to do was ripe his fucking throat out.

"What about you Sir. What do you think you do?" Adam was looking at Matthew. His legs crossed, hands folded in his lap smiling that damn smile that made you feel like you were less than him. All Matthew could think of doing was making this stupid little man before him forget that he was even looking at Matthew. Make him forget the wavy haired blond even existed and then while the man went on chatting with Francis and pilling Ivan's plate high with food Matthew would walk right up to him and sink his halo into his stupid face.

Ivan and Francis were looking at Matthew. The blond angel still smiling his silky smooth smile that made people love him but there was a sharpness in his eyes that warned Matthew to watch his tongue.

"I…" Matthew swallowed trying to push down the sickness and rage rising in him from just looking at the pompous asshole.

"You will have to excuse Mattheiu. He is rather shy when he meets new people." Francis said patting Matthews hand like he was a child and chuckling while looking at Adam. The two laughed together shaking their heads at the silliness of the young.

"I punish the evil." Matthew said the words with a surprising calmness despite his inner turmoil. How long ago were Holland and the others taken. An hour? Two? What was happening to them.

Adam was looking at Matthew again in surprise his eyes scanning over Matthew's small frame judging his abilities with a single look. The younger angel resisted the urge to squirm. He hated eyes on him when he was so used to being unseen. "You are an enforcer." Adam said before smiling that sick smile. "How wonderful. I rarely hunt anymore but I do run a rather lovely rehabilitation clinic here."

"Rehabilitation?" Francis asked drawing Adams golden honey eyes away from Matthew.

"Yes it's a new field of study we are doing. There is no cure of Demonism as you know. Only the almighty can forgive it is beyond our power to force a demon to repent for their sins." Adam bowed his head a moment and raised his hand like he was praying when he spoke of God before he continued on. "But we are finding inventive new ways to train a demon to behave properly. To be able to get them to do things for us."

"How?" Francis asked sounding generally interested as he laced his fingers and leaned his head on his hands, elbows on the table. He was worried Matthew realized. He would never otherwise disregard such basic manners as 'elbows on the table'.

"Many ways." Adam said shrugging taking a sip of his tea. "Forced recognition mostly. Repetitive training. You do well you get a reward you do poorly you get punished."

"Torture." Ivan said the word softly and Adam shrugged. "They are monsters it takes severe methods to rearrange their minds to work properly. Would you like to see it?"

Matthew felt the sickness rise up in him and he stood quickly honestly fearing he would vomit all over the lace covered table. "Are you that eager to see it Matthew?" Adam asked smiling in a way that was anything but friendly.

"Yes." His body felt cold. Like someone had poured ice water down his back. "As a fellow enforcer I would love to see what I have to look forward to once I get too old to hunt too." Matthew smiles sugar sweet like he'd seen his brother Alfred do when he wanted something.

Adam stood. "Come with me."

Ivan and Francis got up giving Matthew dirty looks before they followed the older angel down the hall. They walked down hallway after hall way till they came to a large white, thick door. Adam typed in a code. Matthew memorized it.

The screaming made Matthew almost take a step back. Francis grabbed his arm and forced him to be still before Ivan came up behind them and Matthew realized Francis kept him from backing up but was rooted into place himself. The larger angel ushered them both after Adam. The hallway had doors upon doors cries pouring out behind them. One door had a number and the one next to it was labeled VIEW. Adam pushed open door labeled VIEW 2 and they all walked into a dark room with a floor to ceiling glass wall.

There was a boy there thin frame. His clothes were hardly hanging on him. His hair was straight brown with a random sprig that curled up. Brown eyes were brimmed with tears and he was pacing back and forth sniffing every few steps.

"That's not a demon." Francis said softly hand touching the glass. The boys head tilted to the side as if he heard the noise but kept walking and talking softly to himself.

"Very good Francis." Adam said with patting him on the shoulder. "These are the twins." Matthew's eyes scanned the sparse room to confirm what he already knew. There was only one boy in the room. "Meet Feliciano." Adam pushed a button on the wall. "Hello Feliciano. How are you today?"

The man's voice echoed into the room across from them making the boy look up. There was a bruise across his face. "A-adam?...can I come out now?" He asked weakly swallowing hard. "Oh Feli you know you were bad just yesterday with you keeper. You know you can't come out till you behave." Adam replied.

A look filtered across the little fallen angels face before it smoothed out again. "Please." The word was a whisper and the boy lowered his head pulling at the bottom on his shirt ringing it in his hands.

"No Feliciano do not ask again." It happened so suddenly that Francis actually jerked back from the glass. Feliciano was across the room banging his fist against the divider. "I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU, YOU BASTRAD! LET ME OUT ADAM!"

Adam released the button watching the man across from them with an annoyed look. "This is Romano Feliciano's twin."

"Does he have multiple personalities?" Ivan asked looking intrigued by the raging man.

"Oh no. Romano and Feliciano are two different people. Twins actually but when we cast out Feliciano Romano lost it and demand we cast him out as well. They were good boys it was a sad loss but we decided why lose everything just because they couldn't behave. This is an experimental project. You see we took Feliciano who was one of the Fallen at the time and Romano who we hadn't cast out yet and combined them into one body. We wanted to see what would happen. If we could cure Feliciano's evil by using a pure host."

Matthew could actually see physical differences with the change in siblings taking control. His hair seemed two shades darker his eyes were hazel instead of brown and his face though exactly the same seemed somehow different.

"Wait, but Feliciano seems like the nice one if you ask me." Francis said smoothing out his shirt. Nervous habit. He was uncomfortable no matter how calm he looked.

"Oh yes it was tragic really. Romano was always a little rough around the edges but we never thought we would loss either of them, they were very devout. Turned out Feli was a demon lover though. How filthy can you get. I understand some people sympathize with the beasts. They look so…normal at times but to bed one..." Adam shook his head in disgust.

Matthew saw it then as the man continued to pound against the glass and his shirt slipped to the side. The demon mark on his shoulder. Right where the neck ended and the shoulder started. Easily hidden under a shirt or shown if wanted.

The half fallen, half whole angel slumped to the floor and hiccupped a sob. His hair lighter again. "I ha-have been trying so hard b-but he is s-s-so loud in my head."

"It worked out opposite then we thought though. Once we combined the boys we thought Romano's pure soul would remain in control suppressing the evil in Feliciano. But it seems once they were together Feliciano's evil tainted his brother and now every time Romano is in control he tries to kill other angels. We are working to get Feliciano to take control and suppress his violence. Such is the way of experiments though. What a waist. I will have to let them know Romano still comes out when Feliciano is upset." Adam wrote something on a chart in the wall and it seemed to transfer to the other side as well letting Feliciano to read it. His crying doubled as they left the room.

It took everything in him not to pound Adam into the ground and release the crying victims on the other side of the twenty doors spanning the hallway. Then Matthew saw a sign painted between each door.

Sector 1/12

Twelve sectors. Twenty rooms in each. Two hundred and forty rooms.

Two hundred and forty people being tortured. Two hundred and forty people begging for help. For forgiveness. For mercy.

"Are all of these rooms filled?" Matthew asked.

"Hum? Oh no. I can only dream of the day they let me have that many. Mostly they are filled now with the disease infested demons from that town. They will stay there until they are found healthy or we put them down.

Put them down. The words were ringing in Matthews head. "They are not dogs." Matthew heard Francis suck in a sharp breath and Adam stop walking. The Angel turned around and faced Ivan looking surprised. "I beg your pardon?" He asked.

"These people you have behind these doors. They are not dogs. I would like it-" Ivan took one step forward towering over the smaller angel wearing his dangerous smile that made lesser men cry. "-If you did not talk about killing someone so lightly."

The brunet narrowed his eyes. "Well…I beg your pardon. I hadn't realized you were a-"

"Ivan is pro-life." Francis cut in looking caught between suave and right out panic. "Death makes him uncomfortable…Any ones death." He added quickly not that he had Adam's attention. "I don't understand it myself, but it is how he interprets the word of God."

Adam paused at that before licking his lips and nodding. There is no arguing with the word of God. "My apologies. I hadn't realized it was a…religious reason."

Francis smiled winningly and smoothed his shirt again before sweeping his hand forward. "Please let us continue."

Adam cleared his throat clearly unsure of what to think of the group as he led them into VIEW 20.

Gilbert was pacing on the other side of the glass. His skin was still the color of ash and his morbid wings were tucked against his back as he walked chewing at a finger nail.

"This is Gilbert. You may know that but you probably didn't know that this was once his sector of Heaven. I am very excited to have him back." Adam said taking a seat at a desk on the far wall typing at a computer. "He is scheduled to start his therapy soon. What do you all say we start it early?" A picture came on covering the whole left side of the room away from the door drawing Gilbert's attention.

A woman came into view on the wall. She was beautiful. Long brown hair down her back with a flower tucked in it and green eyes. She had a well-proportioned body, decent sized chest without being overly large or small and cute hips that gave her a hour glass shape in her green dress.

"We are going to start are interview now. Please state your name." A voice came from off screen.

"Elizabeta." She said keeping her hands folded in her lap and smiling slightly. There always seemed to be a smile tugging at her lips. She seemed like one of those always happy people even if she was a little tense.

"What do you do?"

"I am currently a part of the extraction squad." She replied.

"Explain that please."

"I go and retrieve other angels in time of need and battle and finish their mission if needed for them."

"How long have been doing this?"

"Let me think…I started in the year 895." She relax a little in her seat pushing hair over her shoulder and then pulling it back over to play with it.

"That is a long time."

She smiled. She was stunning when she smiled Matthew though watching Gilbert reach a hand up and touch the wall that made up her cheek. He had slid to the floor and was crying silently. "Mhum. It is." She answered.

"When did you meet Roderich?"

She waved a hand in the air laughing. "Oh it seems like we've always known each other. I couldn't tell you the year."

"Right, can you at least tell me the year you were married?" The man off screen asked in a tone that made Elizabeth look some of her peppiness."1867. Why are you asking me about Roderich?"

"Can you tell me when your relationship with Roderich began to fail?"

"We struggled in 1918 but it never failed. What does this have to do with anything? I thought this was just my yearly review."

"Excuse me Miss Elizabeth please stop asking questions and answer mine. Was it in 1918 that you started having an affair with Gilbert."

All happiness left the beautiful woman on the screen as she sat quietly. She sat very still and Matthew could see she now knew what was going on.

"Did you not understand my question? Was it in 1918 that you decided to be a whore and spread your legs for another man outside of your husband?"

"That is none of your busin-"

"Answer the question."

"No!" She hissed the answer and her hand tightened in a way that let Matthew know she was wishing for a weapon.

"Don't yell baby. Don't yell they are already mad." Gilbert spoke softly to the woman who could no longer hear him tapping his fingers against her cheek as he could get her attention."

"When was that then?"

She was quiet again before she took a deep breath. "I don't remember. It happened gradually…over time. He just…wormed his way in."

"Like a disease?"

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. "Fuck you. He is a good man."

"Unlike you Elizabeth I don't so easily succumb to the deadly sin of lust. Try and stay focused. When did you convince your Husband to play along with this game with you?"

Elizabeth hesitated a moment. "Roderich had nothing to do with it. I forced Gilbert into it too."

"Oh no. No no don't lie to me. We already know what you have done. There is no saving them now."

The screen cut off as Elizabeth raised her chin up and grit her teeth going black for only a moment making Gilbert make a panicked noise for half a second before a Man sat before them. He looked sullen and proper. Sitting up ram rod straight in his seat legs crossed hands folded. He had glassed perched on his nose and his dark brown hair partly slicked back in a stylish manner.

"State your name."

"Roderich."

"What do you do?"

"I teach gospel music." He said stiffly fixing the frame of his galsses slightly.

"Explain that please."

"Before young angels go to the human world they have a series of lessons they must complete. One of which is gospel song and music. I teach them."

"You used a bow to play the violin made of Elizabeth's hair. I remember…I remember when she gave it too you. How could I forget that." Gilbert said quietly looking at the stoic man.

"How long have been doing this?"

"Since the seventh century."

"So quiet a while."

"Indeed."

"When did you meet Elizabeth?"

"909."

"She couldn't recall. That any reason why you can and she can't?"

"Elizabeth lives in the moment. She would not remember me in that moment just because I remember her."

"What happened when you meet."

"I was losing a battle and she came and did it for me."

"You said you were a teacher."

"I go on missions from time to time." Roderich answered very shortly and neatly so different then Elizabeth.

"Can you tell me the year you were married?"

"1867."

"Can you tell me when your relationship with your wife began to fail?"

"It didn't."

The man off screen paused. "Your wife said 1918."

"1918 we struggled nothing more."

The man hesitated again when he didn't get a response out of Roderich.

"Let's talk about your fellow angels. Do you know a Gilbert?"

"I do."

"Do you know he is fucking your wife?"

"I do. Did you know he is fucking me?" Roderich replied so calmly that Gilbert let out a high pitched panicked laugh for half a second.

There was coughing behind the camera like someone was caught off guard and needed a moment to recollect themselves.

"Alright Mr Roderich let us talk frankly for a moment we know what you and your whore wife and your love have been doing. We-"

"You cannot prove anything." Roderich said calmly.

"Oh yes. Yes we can. You stupid idiot of a love got your names tattooed on his the insides of his wrists. He kept them well hidden using the same power we use to hid our wing,but it doesn't take long for us to smell out a sinner. What a stupid man. Frist, engaging in a threesome with a married couple and a man no less, but then desecrating his body. The temple God gave him with a tattoo. I can see you didn't know he had the mutilation done to his body. Tell me what do you think about that?"

Roderich was quiet a moment and took off his glasses rubbing them on his shirt to clean a spot before slipping them back on and looking directly at the camera. "I would say I have never seen a temple without a little paint on the walls."

The screen went black and Gilbert's eyes scanned the wall frantically looking for his lovers faces again. Before he looked at his writes as if just seeing them for the first time as black ink appeared on his skin _Elizabeth_ on the right _Roderich_ on the left in beautiful cursive.

"Give them back." He said softly. "Give them BACK!" He pushed himself to his feet and hit the glass with his fist. "How could you do that to them! How could you!" He made a choked noise and grit his teeth punching the glass again and again, and again blood splattering on the window from his skin breaking on the fifth and sixth hit.

Adam pushed a button against the wall. "Hello Gilbert." The demon went still narrowing his eyes at the glass. "Silence isn't going to get you anywhere in here Gilbert. How about we have a little chat…about me giving you your lovers back."

Gilberts eyes widened and he sucked in a sharp breath. "Yes I thought that would get your attention." Adam chuckled.

"You can't give them back. You killed them. Murdered them in our home I saw it." Gilbert growled dangerously low punching the glass again making it rattle.

"You saw what I wanted you to see Gilbert. Nothing more nothing less."

Gilbert was panting with pent up rage and started to pace his wings stretching out and flapping once before pulling back into his body. "Are you telling me they're not dead Adam? I saw their bodies! I saw what you did to them!"

"You remember that?" Adam asked. "Are you sure. Are you sure you saw their bodies."

The shadow demon's face scrunched up and he ran a hand threw his hair in aggravation getting blood in his silver locks. "I saw the blood!" He yelled kicking the bed in the room denting its thin metal frame.

"Blood Gilbert. Only blood no bodies."

Gilbert tried to bring up the memory but couldn't seem to see his lovers anywhere in the house. "I know they were there." He whispered his voice cracking.

"They weren't there Gilbert. I can bring them back for you." An image popped up on the back wall making the once angel jerk around. Roderich was straddling a bench with Elizabeth sitting between his thighs. Gilbert was kneeling on the ground leaning forward head resting on the woman's lap Roderich hand placed gently against his head with his own arms trying to wrap around them both.

They were smiling.

The image changed. Elizabeth was in the middle a boy on each of her sides bowed heads kissing her hand. She had her head thrown back laughing. Gilbert was smiling like a fool behind his kiss. Roderich had the slightest up turn of his lips.

They were happy.

A third picture came up. Roderich was on the left face covered in a light dust of blush as he placed a hand on Gilberts shoulder and a kiss against his cheek. Elizabeth was on the right side, hair pulled in a ponytail to keep it out of the way, as she used her thumb and forefinger to keep Gilberts face still as she leaned in to kiss him too looking ready to devour him. The camera had caught Gilbert with a completely stunned look on his face as if he hadn't been expecting their advances.

They were in love.

"Think about them Gilbert. Think about how badly you want them back and next time I come here maybe you will be a little nicer." Adam said before letting go of the intercom and typing at the computer.

"His lovers aren't dead?" Francis asked. Matthew could already see the plan forming in the man's mind to track them down and reunite the couple. Love was Francis's weak point. Both in his own life and in others.

"Oh no they are dead." Adam said straightening with a smile. "We killed them in their home and we allowed Gilbert to find them as they were dying. Part of his punishment. Then we stripped him of his memories. I took a gamble with him not remembering their last conversation. We weren't sure how fast he would regain his memories when we dropped him in Hell. It was a test to see if we could do it. I guess that answers that question. Prolonged punishment without content supervision is possible. How wonderful."

"You can't bring his lovers back then da?" Ivan asked in a low voice.

"Oh no. I'm not God. I can't bring back the dead. But it will be something we can use to control him. Promise of lovers life generally keeps people in line."

"But if you don't show him how long will he believe you?" Francis asked as they walked from the room.

"How far would you go Francis if someone told you they had your woman? That you couldn't see her but if you didn't do as you were told they would hurt her. Its brilliant really. His unwavering devotion for them is what will make him a useful asset to angel society again."

Matthew grit his teeth and decided in that moment that he was going to kill Adam before he left. He killed evil people. It was his job. And this was an evil man.

Review?


	21. poison

As soon as the door of their new room shut behind Matthew he started pacing. "Mathieu," Francis said in a begging whisper "please. Please calm down."

Matthew was breathing hard through his nose to keep from screaming. His hands were shaking even though they were clenched in fists. Ivan had his back pressed to the door like he could block the noise Matthew may make with his bulky frame. "How could they?" Matthew hissed in a whisper whipping around to face Francis. "They are angels Francis. _Angels_!"

"Matthieu they have people outside the door. If they hear you-" Francis said taking the younger angel by the shoulders to try and keep him still.

"Is this religion? Where is God in this?" Matthew said pushing Francis away and starting to pace again. "I've always thought I was right. Always knew I was doing what was correct because it was ordained that way. Angels good, demons evil. But that. That out there…" Matthew pointed towards the door shaking harder. "Was I like that?" He asked tears burning at his eyes.

"Oh no. No mon cher. You were never like them." Francis said glancing weakly at Ivan for help reaching out to the smaller angel being shoved away again.

"I was. I was just like them. Blind. So blinded by my own…'holiness'. Never stopping. Never questioning. Never seeking answers. Before I wouldn't have been so shocked to hear that someone was trying to rehabilitate demons. I would have thought it was a grand idea…and now…now H-holland is in one of those rooms…and they are torturing h-him too." Matthew put his shaking hands against his face like he could pull the horrors he'd witnessed from his mind and keep the new ones forming there out, as he tugged at his hair wrapping his fingers in the locks trying to find some outlet for the emotions spinning in him. Matthew slipped to his knees unable to keep standing he was shaking so hard and Francis knelt down with him rubbing his back slowly before holding him tightly.

Was he the real sinner? The murderer? The torturer? Was he one of those people who could treat other living things like that? Lock them in rooms and twist their minds to get what he wanted. He wanted to say no. To know that he would never have been such a person, but he could see himself from before standing before that sickly sweet smiling Adam. Having that man tell him what good their projects would bring. What peace and harmony to all the angels of Heaven and Matthew wasn't sure he would have argued.

A large hand clamped over Matthews mouth half a second before he started screaming. The hand muffled his cries so anyone in the hall couldn't hear him but did nothing to stop the shame filled tears that poured from his eyes. He spent ten minutes screaming himself raw into Ivan's giant hand as he slowly calmed and the larger man pulled his hand away and Francis rocked him slowly petting his hair speaking French quickly but softly.

"Notre père, qui êtes aux cieux.(our father who art in heaven)  
>Que votre nom soit sanctificié. (Hallowed be thy name)<br>Que votre règne vienne. (Thy kingdom come)  
>Que votre volonté soit faite, sur la terre comme au ciel." (Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven)<p>

Ivan deep steady voice took over in his rarely spoken Russian. "Хлеб наш насущный даждь нам днесь; (Give us this day our daily bread)  
>и остави нам долги наша, (And forgive us our trespasses)<br>якоже и мы оставляем должником нашим; (As we forgive those who trespass us)  
>и не введи нас во искушение"(And lead us not into temptation)<p>

"And deliver us from evil.

For yours is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory of heaven.

Now and forever.

Amen." Matthew whispered feeling a calmness spread through him he hadn't felt since he was home. "We are angels. Us. Those people out there, they are nothing." Francis kissed the side of Matthews head. "There you go mon petit." (My little boy)

The blond man stood pulling Matthew to his feet and offering a hand to Ivan pulling him up too. "Alright mon enfants. Let us get you two to bed you must be exhausted." (My children) Francis's babying of both him and Ivan made Matthew realize how selfish he'd been. Screaming raging having a fit like a child when it was Ivan's lover they saw being tortured. Francis's best friend who's mind was being twisted and bent to fit some premade mold of what he should be.

"I'm sorry." Matthew whispered and Francis smiled at him weakly in a way that haid it was alright as he leaded both boys towards the bed and pushing the wavy haired blond under the covers first.

"We can't sleep yet." Ivan protested as Francis pulled him out of his coat he had insisted on wearing over the white clothes they'd been given. "We're supposed to have dinner with-"

Francis placed an elegant finger against the much taller man's lips. "I can handle one little crazy angel." He whispered with a wink. "I will tell him you were both tres fatigue from your hunting of those crazy demons he hates so much. He will understand that." (Very tired)

Ivan didn't look convinced as he was ushered to the other side of the bed by the pushy French angel. "You cannot handle him alone."

"Darling I handle petty men like Adam daily. He will not be a problem for me. Sleep." Francis pulled the covers up over Ivan and brushed silver locks out of his eyes as he leaned down placing a kiss on his forehead. "For in the morning we will free our friends." He whispered so softly that Matthew almost missed it.

"Sleep well. I will be back in a few hours." Francis opened the door minimally and slipped out pressing his back to the frame closing his eyes and sending up another prayer silently that God bring the boys peace if just for a few hours in their sleep.

"Are you alright sir?" Their guard asked. He opened his blue eyes and put on his most winning smile looking at the

Young woman. "Ah chere I am just tired. It has been a long day. Do you think you could be a doll and show me the way to the dining hall." Her light brown eyes looked passed him at the door. "Are you all not coming?"

Francis pushed away from the door begging his wearily bones not to ache so badly as he looped one of his arms through hers like a gentleman. He had traveled so far the past three days. "Oh they were so tired they fell into bed and there wasn't a thing I could do to tempt them back out from under those covers. I thought it best to let them sleep you understand?"

The woman's wings fluttered weakly as she frowned but nodded slowly. "I guess."

"Now. Where am I lucky enough to be eating with our fine host this evening?" He asked suave smile, half-mast eyes. The young angel blushed and slipped out of his grip flustered as she led the way.

Francis spent half a second hatting his life as he was lead back into the sector 1 view 20 to find the room now had a table and four chairs. Adam occupied one sipping his drink slowly raising an eyebrow at Francis's lone appearance as he waved the girl away. "Where are your friends?"

"Tired, Adam." Francis replied smiling. "They have been pushing themselves hard. I did not think you would mind if they slept in place of being terrible dinner company with their sour looks and half a sleep conversation."

Adam regarded Francis a moment before smiling and waving his hand at the seat across from him. "I understand, please have a seat. I apologize that we will be eating in the presence of a demon, but I could hardly keep myself away. I have been looking forward to the day we could bring Gilbert back without raising any eyebrows or naysayers. You don't mind do you?"

"Not at all." Francis replied giving a warm smile and glancing through the glass. It was obvious Gilbert didn't know they were there watching him. It must have been one way glass. The Demon had his knees pulled to his chest and he was biting at his nail, blood slipping down his wrist and arm drip on the floor from him chewing down to the skin. His other arm was wrapped around his legs as if he could forcibly hold himself together. The wings were gone now and Francis had to wonder whether it was from over use or he put them away himself. There was a new forming bruise forming across his face letting Francis know someone had been in the room beating him not long ago. "I am highly interested in your work." Francis added on looking back at Adam hoping his smile didn't look as forced as it felt as the man smiled back at him swirling his drink slowly.

"Please, eat." Adam said gently setting his wine glass down to pick up his silverware. Francis sent up a prayer of thanks that he'd left Ivan and Matthew behind in their room. Neither of them could have handled seeing Gilbert like this again. He could just see Matthew vomiting as he often did when he was disgusted with something and Ivan trying to rip Adams head from his shoulders. No it was better he came alone even if he was so tired he could hardly think straight and being with Adam made his skin crawl. They ate in silence for a few moments before Francis took a sip of his drink and paused. "What is this?"

"Something we made here." Adam said with a big smile. "It's a special drink. Do you like it?"

Francis hesitated a moment swirling the drink around and smelling it. It looked just like what Adam was drinking. "It is sweet…tangy. Is it poison?"

Adam threw his head back and laughed at that shaking his head. "No child not poison. It is a detoxifier. It pulls out any demon residue in a person system. Like let's say saliva for instance."

Saliva. He was seeing if Francis had been bitten or marked by a demon. What a tricky man. He thanked God again he left Ivan and Matthew behind, but cursed Antonio for munching on him last time he'd visited as he took another long drink pointedly looking at Adam as he did so before setting the cup down with a smile. "Is this a test Adam? Why not just strip me down and search me for a demon mark next time and save the games."

"That would be rude. This was much easier and less intrusive." Adam replied seeming to relax a little watching Francis before turning to look at Gilbert. "What an ugly creature."

All Francis could see when he looked at the albino was the first time their shared a kiss. They weren't in love and they never fooled to the extent that he and Antonio did with the biting and kissing and occasional fucking, but he cared for Gilbert more than he could bear at times. He felt the need to protect him ever since he'd found out that he was a Fallen.

A Video came up on the far wall and Gilbert shuddered before his eyes were drawn to it. Elizabeth was being walked down a hallway as a bruised and battered Roderich was drug out of a side room. Her eyes widened and an instant later she was screaming bloody murder. "RODERICH! RODERICH BABY! GET THE FUCK OFF ME!" The angels leading her started grabbing her arms forcing her to keep going as screamed. "RODERICH!" the camera panned away from Elizabeth to the dragging blood marks that trailed behind the brunet man's body. The scream went black and a new one came up it was far away but it was obviously Elizabeth Roderich and Gilbert in a field somewhere trees all around them. The woman had her head lying on Roderich lap as he toyed with her hair and pretended to read a book while he was really watching Gilbert doing some expressive reenactment. The silverlet waved his arms around animatedly hiking up his legs and stomping around like a monster as he talked about something the camera couldn't pick up before Elizabeth's laughter carried across the field sounding like bells before it was stopped as Gilbert dropped to his hands and knees over her. They were both smiling like kids as Roerich spoke up drawing Gilbert's attention. The silver haired demon pulled the book out of his way and kissed the man right on the mouth making Elizabeth's laughter come again. Before that too went dark and it was Roderich and Elizabeth in one of the viewing rooms clinging to each other bloody and panting in pain. Gilbert was on the other side of the glass strapped naked to a table beautiful silver lined wings out on his back before suddenly a torch was held under one letting it go up in flames. Even through the glass and poor camera quality Francis could here Gilberts screams as he started to struggle trying to get away from the flames that were licking at his skin and devouring his wings. Elizabeth watched in horrified shock before Roderich forced himself to his face even though his leg was bent at a strange angle and pounded against the glass separating them screaming for them to stop. Elizabeth snapped out of her stupor and slammed her shoulder against the glass trying to break it to get to their lover as she cried thick tears. "STOP! GOD STOP PLEASE! GILBERT! Baby!" She smacked her hands against the glass trying to get his attention and Roderich pounding fists against the divider in rage and sorrow and screamed in helplessness along with his lovers.

The screen went black and the only sound was Gilberts own sniffs of snot and tears staring at the now empty wall.

"Why do you do that to him?" Francis asked softly.

"To remind him of his place. To remind him what we can do. To remind him… that he is nothing and we know all." Adam replied shrugging as the screaming start up and Gilbert lost it again burying his face in his knees.

Francis wasn't sure how he made it through the rest of the meal but by the time he got to the room he was sharing with Matthew and Ivan he was retching in the bathroom as his body ride itself of all of Antonio's saliva. He wasn't sure how he kept up his act for so long but now his whole body was shaking and sweating and he retched again tears coming to eyes. He was never playing around with Antonio again the bastard! He thought weakly whimpering.

Ivan came into the bathroom looking down at him rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Did they poison you?" He asked holding out a cup of water.

"Something like that." He said not willing to talk about his experience yet when his body was shaking again and he vomited black mush into the toilet again.

It took hours for him to stop vomiting but he had a fever by the time Ivan tucked him into bed and he was crying with the first stages of sleep.

Review?


	22. save them

Matthew pushed himself up in bed blinking awake tiredly. The sun wasn't up yet, his body could tell, but he wasn't sure what woke him. The blankets around him we slightly damp making him frown as he pushed them away and looked around the room. Ivan was in a chair on the other side of the bed sleeping with his legs stretched out in front of him and his head lulled back against the wall. Francis, whom Matthew didn't remember hearing come back last night was in Ivan's spot on the bed. The angel's face was pale and he was very still buried tightly under his nearly soaking wet cover.

"His fever broke a few hours ago." Ivan said making a groaning noise as he sat up in his chair waking up.

"What happened?" Matthew asked pushing Francis's damp hair that was stuck to his forehead off.

"He was poisoned or something." Ivan stood up trying to work out the kinks in his body. "He was vomiting black…mush for hours before I could put him to bed."

"Shit." Matthew muttered.

"We can't stay here any longer Matvy." Ivan's purple eyes were looking at the little angel with a seriousness he rarely showed.

"But we can't move yet if Francis is-?"

"Mon cher." Francis's weak voice startled both of them. "I am fine. I can do what is needed to get us out of here." He used shaking arms to force himself into a sitting position narrowing blue eyes daring Matthew to argue.

Matthew hesitated only a second. "What do you want me to do?"

"Use your power. Blind them to your presence and go find the boys. DO NOT release them until you come back here and tell us if you think the three of us can move them or if they can walk on their own. Do you understand?" Francis asked the look on his face was drawn. He was still in pain but deathly serious.

"I-I don't know if I can force it." Matthew said shocked. "I spent my whole life suppressing my power I don't know how to actually use it. I just normally release my hold on it a little and people can't see."

"That won't work. You have to forcibly remove the memory of yourself from everyone in this places mind. You must be completely one hundred percent gone. If even one person catches you sneaking around we could all be dead or in one of those rooms of our own do you understand?"

"I'm afraid…" Matthew whispered lowering his head. Silence filled the room before Ivan came forward and made Matthew lift his head. "What if I let my power out and no one remembers me ever again." Ivan sighed and Francis bit at his lip.

"It is your power Matvy. We cannot make you use it and we cannot promise you will be able to control it but I can promise that if you don't use it and Holland dies you will never forgive yourself."

Matthew sucked in a sharp breath at that. Holland. "I will do my best." He whispered. "Wish me luck."

"Bonne chance."

"Udachi."

Matthew placed his hands against his chest. He could feel the hold he held on his power. Strong. Thick from years of building it up to protect him from being lost to others forever. His heart beat pounded against his palms.

Once.

Twice.

On the third beat Matthew clenched his hands into fists grabbing a hold of his walls inside him and ripped it away. He let out a half scream before he could crush it as the barrier didn't just let go. Breaking it away was like ripping hooks out of his skin and then dragging sandpaper against his skin.

The rush of power that followed made Matthew almost loose his balance. It was like level six rapids rushing past his ears making him deaf to Francis and Ivan trying to talk to him as he leaned his head back and let the power pour over him. It was wonderful and beautiful and made him complete in a way he hadn't known before. Alfred tried to describe what it was like to fully connect to your special angel power and Matthew hadn't understood.

Now.

Now as the tingling filled his whole body and he started to laugh softly he understood. There was nothing like it in the world Heaven and Hell included.

Ivan touched Matthews shoulder making the smaller angel look at him. "Oh wow." Matthew said chuckling. He could see right through Ivan's slightly glowing purple eyes not only into0 his mind but into his very soul. "I can make your soul forget I even exist. You wouldn't retain even one scrap of knowledge of my existence."

Ivan made a strange sound and backed away from Matthew. "Get out." His hissed.

Pulling out of Ivan's soul was like sliding back through his eyes into Matthews own body again. "This is amazing." Matthews eyes flicked to Francis and weary blue met his stare. That's when he realized it was so much more then forgetting that he controlled. He had access to people's minds and souls. He could change everything. He could make Francis forget not only Matthew himself but select memories or entire people. He could erase all his pain. Every lover that left a mark on the other angels soul.

Matthew raised his hand. "I had no idea you were so sad Francis. Relax. I'm going to help you." He said gently.

"DON'T!" Francis yelled.

Matthew's hold was rattled for a moment like he'd been boxed in the ears but he wasn't evicted from the other soul yet.

"Matthew those make me who I am. Every one of them. Every pain you are seeing. They are mine to bear and I do not regret a single one! Please. Please leave them. I don't want to forget."

Matthew hesitated a moment rubbing a hand against a violent memory just feeling it and looking around the soul before pulling back. Francis was sobbing and rocking back and forth with arms wrapped around his body like he'd been violated in a way he couldn't sooth.

Matthew blinked at him confused and Ivan was looking at him nervously. "I'm going to go." He said softly heading for the door. Outside the door Matthew rubbed his hands against his arms. His power felt like it was raising off his skin and but the roaring in his ears had died to a pleasant hum. The girl who was their guard was talking to him. Though he wasn't sure what she was saying. "Shut up." He said looking at her. The girls eyes went dull for a moment before she went to stand guard again. Matthew pushed away from the door and raised his hand in a sweeping motion and it was like he'd sent a wave of power down the hall. "Amazing." He said walking past people who didn't even glace at him.

He resisted the urge to go into each of their souls and mess around as he picked up his pace looking for his friends.

He went to Gilbert first to make sure the man could still walk. The only problem was the code didn't work when he put it in.

Not a problem. He grabbed the guard up by his throat lifting him off the ground. The man let out a choked scream scratching at air and Matthew marveled in the fact that the man still couldn't see him before he did his best not to smile and unblended the man. "I need the code…please."

The angel choked out a 'no fucking way' but Matthew saw the number filter across his mind anyway. "Thank you." He said dropping the man and erasing himself again leaving the man terrified on the floor but not sure why.

The new code worked and Matthew walked down the hall listening to screams. He pushed open the door to view 20 and found Gilbert a little more roughed up but no less able to walk watching what looked like home movies on a wall.

An attractive man was trying to show Gilbert how to hold a violin chuckling softly at the albino's frowning face. A woman was sleeping on the couch behind them. "I don't think I will ever get this." Gilbert cursed looking uncomfortable with the small wooden instrument tucked under his chin his left hand stretched out to hold its neck out straight.

"That is because you are a buffoon." The dark haired man replied stiffly before placing a kiss against Gilbert's check making him turn bright red. "But it's alright. I didn't want you to learn anyway. If you did what would I have to show off to Elizabeth?"

Gilbert pulled the instrument away and smiled dumbly at Roderich like his half complement half insult was the best thing he had ever heard. "You love me." the albino teased.

"Let's not get carried away now." Roderich replied blinking rapidly as if caught off guard.

Gilbert leaned forward slowly and just as their mouths were about to meet screaming filled the room and blood and a struggling body came up on the screen and just as quickly it was gone.

They were mixing good memories with bad. What bastards. Matthew thought before going to the computer and shutting on the video stream as Elizabeth popped back up.

"No." Gilbert whispered pulling his bleeding thumb out of his mouth. "NO PLEASE! BRING THEM BACK! I PROMISE TO BE GOOD PLEASE I PROMISE!" Matthew jerked back as the albino pounded his fists against the glass bawling. "Please let me see them please God I'll do anything."

Matthew fled from the room before his guilt could force him to turn the torture back on.

The door to 19 showed him Ice. The young demon was strapped to a table water was dripping down on his bear body in different spots each time. The boy flinched with every drop and let out little whimpers of panic before one drop his and he screamed as the skin turned red. Boiling water Matthew realized. Some drops were cold water starling his body making him cry out even if it didn't hurt before they switched back to the boiling leaving red marks all across his skin.

He could walk if helped a little. Matthew decided trying to figure out how to shut off the water drops with no luck before forcing himself from the room into the next. Norge was there pacing the room looking more frazzled then Matthew had ever seen him but he couldn't tell why till a scream filled the room. Mathias? Matthew wondered before a second scream followed. Ice. Up at the top of the room two microphones were resting playing the screams of the two connecting rooms of 19 and 17. His brother and his lover were being tortured on either side of him and there wasn't a thing he could do to help them.

He could walk.

Matthew went to the next room finding it harder and harder to leave each room. Mathais was being stretched from the best that Matthew could tell. His body made an awful popping sound as the younger angel had walked into the room and screamed again.

He wouldn't be able to walk.

The next few rooms were filled with demons from the town being tortured in some form or another Matthew didn't stay long to find out. His worry about Holland was eating him alive as he pushed his way into sector 2/12 more rooms with random people covered in filth and crying. Su and Tino were in the same room. Tino was hanging from the ceiling blood dripping down cuts covering his whole body. They were bleeding him out slowly making the screaming man chained to the wall watch.

Matthew stumbled into the hall and vomited. Too much pain was filling his power. The more souls he brushed against the more his whole body ached. Apparently his power didn't come without a price.

He had to hurry. He had to find Holland. Had to set all these people free. He couldn't leave any of them behind. Not the demons not the fallen and not the few tortured angels who lay behind each of these locked doors.

Matthew rushed through the next few doors before going to sector 3/12, 4/12, 5/12 the further he got the more empty the rooms were becoming before he jerked open 6/12 view 6 Holland was on the floor gritting his teeth in pain.

Needles an half inch thick at least 12 inches high were sticking out of the man pinning him to the floor. Holland was working his hand up the needle that was stuck threw it. He let out a sob as it jerked free and was trying to work his arm up when the ceiling opened and three more needles flew down pinning Holland's hand back down. He screamed and Matthew jerked before pounding on the glass. "HOLLAND!"

"Matthew?" Holland rasped turning his head to look at the glass separating them. Matthew pounded against the glass before he left the room and kicked the door with the number six on it out of his way. Matthew dropped on the floor next to Holland's head in a puddle of blood that was slowly spiraling down a drain in the floor. "Matthew what are you doing here?" Holland asked looking at the angel with pain filled eyes.

"Oh I'm so sorry." Matthew sobbed. "Be still. I will help you." Matthew looked into Holland's amber eyes and suddenly he realized he couldn't get into the man's mind. He couldn't block his pain. "You can see me." Matthew said softly placing hands against Holland's head looking at him from upside down.

Holland smiled weakly. "I told you. I will always see you Angel."

"I can't leave you here." Matthew said grabbing Holland arm and pulling it up slowly before a needle shot down pinning it again making Matthew jerk back as Holland screamed.

"Matthew. Listen to me you have to go-"

"I'm not leaving you!" Matthew said shaking his head trying to see there this tears.

"Go to room 20 in sector 12/12. I saw it when they were splitting us all up. It's the main control room. You can shut down all the rooms. We can escape."

Matthew shook his head. "I have to get you out first." He choked out sniffing hard looking over the demon lord's body. Over fifty needles.

"You're such a baby." Holland teased weakly. "Go on Matthew. I will be here when you get back. I promise." He winked and Matthew broke into a fresh set of tears before leaning down and placing an upside down kiss on the demons lips. "I will be back for you." Matthew promised softly.

"Kiss me again." Holland asked and Matthew laughed sounding desperate as he placed his lips against the other man's again.

Power forced its way through him and Matthew felt a pressure at his back before he pulled away. "Why?" He asked shocked.

"If I die today I want you to have them back." Holland whispered eyes closing. "Go quickly Angel."

Matthew was shaking as pushed himself upright. "I will save you. You will not die today." Matthew promised fleeing from the room and running faster than he had in his whole life before he flapped his now free huge wings once giving him speed.

He would save his friends. Matthew promised himself picking up speed. And God help whoever stood in his way.

Review?


	23. escape

Matthew forced his way into sector 12/12 down the strangely quiet hall before his hand paused over the door handle of view 20. Children laughing. He remembered hearing a baby crying when they were still in town but hadn't seen any children in the previous rooms. He slowly eased the door open and stood deathly still for a moment. Adam was there looking through the glass hands folded behind his back.

Matthew's hesitation didn't last long as his curiosity got the better of him and he stepped forward to look through the barrier too. On the other side was a room full of demon and angel children sitting or lying, listening to Sebastian tell them a story. Early risers. Matthew thought as some of the children yawned tiredly leaning against one another. Sebastain had a baby tucked under his arm rocking it slowly and a little girl on his knee who was half asleep against his chest as he read from a large book.

Matthew looked at the room full of children who laughed at something in the story and back at Adam. For a moment he wondered which one of them was the one in the cage. Sebastian with the children or Adam always on the other side of the glass.

Adam suddenly pushed away from the wall and left the room entering the one full of kids. Sebastian looked up and paused. "How about we call go and play now?" Sebastian said to the kids shooing them to go and pick up toys laying on the ground and under little beds. Adam sat in a chair across from the black skinned demon and they sized each other up for a moment before Sebastian smiled leaning forward and passing the little girl on his lap to the angel. Adam looked strangely natural holding the little curly haired angel girl in his arms carful of her tiny wings as she slept against his chest.

"Why are you hear Adam?" Sebastian asked softly shifting the infant still in his arms a demon boy with little horns just peeking out through his hair.

"To seek and save what was lost." Adam replied.

"You always have been about tough love." Sebastian sighed. "I like the name by the way."

"I was always fond of your first sinner." The light haired brunet said relaxing back into his chair. Suddenly the man didn't look so evil He just looked tired.

The two sat in silence a moment before two children start to fight over a toy. Having lost the battle the little demon girl red faced and sobbing ran to Adam pointing. "Well go get him then." Adam told her with a wink. "No one said you have to play fair."

Sebastian sighed before interfering and picking up the other rabble rouser taking the toy. "If you can't share it you can't have it at all." He said. The angel boy set off into a fit of crying before the two kids agreed to share the two and went off.

"Sebastian sat again with a huff. "Why do you do that?" He asked giving Adam scowl.

"He's going to steel it from her again and you would tell her to turn the other check. I think instead of being walked on there is no sin in standing up for yourself."

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "We have been having this fight since the beginning of time. How about we agree to disagree." Adam made a laughing hum noise of agreement rocking the girl in his arms.

"Thank you for sitting with them in here."

"I told you it was fine to let the children come to me." Sebastian replied with a shrug.

"Adam?" A little boy tugged on the man's sleeve making him look down. "When am I going to see my mommy again?"

Adam snorted. "Soon if that idiot on the other side of the glass can focus long enough to get his ass moving." Sebastian chuckled and Matthew jerked back like he'd been struck. Mary mother of God Adam could see him. Or at least feel his presence.

Adam sighed standing laying the angel girl on a bed and covering her up. "Time for me to go play bad guy." He said tucking her in.

"Don't be bitter you're so good at it." Sebastian teased as Adam opened the door.

"I should be. That's what I was made for wasn't it?"

Adam suddenly appeared in the viewing room frowning at Matthew. "Can I help you?" He asked crossing his arms. Matthew pushed his power outward and Adam scoffed at him. "Don't be ridiculous." The angel said making Matthew take a step back before glancing at the wall of computers.

"You will never figure out how to shut them down." Adam said walking slowly forward. Matthew lifted panicked purple eyes to Adam and looking into his light brown ones trying to gain access to his soul and force him to forget. Nothing. He couldn't see a thing. He was blocked.

He gasped when a hand gripped his upper arm and the angel's sickly sweet smile was in his face. "I would not do that if I were you. A sold palm to the chest sent Matthew flying back into the wall crashing through the computers and the wall behind it. Matthew coughed dust and got to his feet shakily trying to untangle himself from wires as Adam stepped into the hole in the wall.

"You're not opening any angel power." Matthew wheezed panting for breath. One of his ribs felt broken. Adam chuckled. "No I'm not." He agreed hands on hips looking at the mess they had made before a row of lights went out. "Now look at what you have done."

A flutter of hope ran through Matthew as he realized what happened. He didn't have to know how to shut down the computers. They couldn't work if they were broken. Matthew stood letting the cords and wires tangled around him stay. "God of faithfulness, in Your wisdom You have called Your servant Adam out of this world; release him from the bonds of sin, and welcome him into Your Presence, so the he may enjoy eternal light and peace and be raised up in glory with all Your saints. Or damned, to the darkest pits of Hell with the worst of your enemy's as you see fit. In the name of Lord we pray, Amen." Adam frowned deepened when suddenly Matthew pulled back with all his might and the computers still standing around Adam came tumbling down crashing over his smaller body before he could move. Matthew pulled and pulled and flapped his trapped wings till nothing more fell or snapped before he untangled himself and climbed over the mountain of electronics he'd created as the room went completely dark. Matthew knocked over the rest of the monitors still standing just to be safe before he went out into the hall. Emergency lights were shining between every two doors that were now swung open.

The backup power had kicked on but it looked like all the locks were open. "Sebastian." Matthew said panting wiping blood from his mouth from when he'd crashed into the wall. "It's time to go."

Sebastian smiled. "You sure do make a lot of noise." He said. "Come on now. People will be here any minute. And it will take us time to get six other people out of these rooms."

"Sebastian…I'm getting everyone out." They stared at each other for a moment before The black skinned demon smiled showing off white fangs in the dark. "You are too kind Matthew. I like your style."

The next few moments happened quickly kids were left in the halls as people from the twelve sectors were released. Sebastian and Matthew worked alone until Ivan and Francis showed up. "What the hell happened?" Ivan asked helping the sick man walk. The lights went out and everyone out there is freaking out. We had to fight the last half of the way here and barricade the door so they wouldn't follow us in."

"I'm sorry." Matthew said helping an old man out of his room and taking a moment to point him down the hall and told him to stay with the kids. "Things got out of hand a-and I couldn't leave them."

"Jesus Matthew." Francis said looking at the growing group in the hall of kids and wounded people. "We can't get them all out safely. WE hardly got IN safely."

"I can't leave them Francis." Matthew was crying. His power was brushing against so much emotion he was afraid he was going to be sick again and they were only at sector 7/12 working their way backwards freeing people so no one got left behind. "I can't leave them in this place." He was shaking and Sebastian touched his back. "Come on. We have to hurry this hall is clear."

Sector six was where Holland was and Matthew took off running to free him. People who weren't chained up in their cells were already wandering in their hallway blinking in the dark confused. "Out there." He ushered them towards the outer hall and pushed passed towards door Six even though he was supposed to start at twenty and come back to make sure it was all clear. "Holland?" Matthew called stepping into the dark room letting his eyes adjust. "You came back." His weak voice came from the floor. He was too tired to try and free himself even after the power shut off.

"Of course I came back." Matthew said dropping to the floor reaching a shaking hand out to feel the needles in the dimly lit room. "I-I'm going to lift you up okay."

"I would rather just lay here." Holland replied softly. "I'm starting to go numb so it's not so bad. I really want to sleep."

"Oh no. no no no Holland listen to me. You ha-have to stay with me ok. You have to. If you fall asleep. I'm not sure I will be able to wake you back up again a-and I…I" Matthew could hardly talk past the lump in his throat and had to wipe at the tears pouring down his face and his running nose.

"It's alright if I die Mattie." Holland replied opening his eyes slowly. "I've lived a long time anyway and Sebastian can take care of my house."

"I think I need you to bit me again." He whispered putting a hand on Holland's face. "So you can't…can't die ok. Who will take care of me if you go and die? Who is going to force me to be friends with demons and make me like hot bathes? W-who will kiss me if you're gone?" His last question was barely a whisper. He closed his eyes and pressed his head to Holland's forehead trying to get in so he could at least numb his pain but still couldn't get in and he let out a sob.

"Ok." Holland said softly. "Pick me up."

Matthew looked over his demons body wondering how he was going to lift him all at once by himself. "We will help you." Francis spoke up from the door way. Ivan nodded in agreement and two others who they freed from other rooms came in to help as well as Sebastian called that he was starting on sector 5/12. On the count of three everyone took a part of Holland he jerked him straight up making the demon scream in pain. A few times they had to tug his extremities up to get them loose.

They set Holland on the ground away from the spikes half leaning his back against Matthew's chest as the small angel clung to him like he was his last hope.

"We are going to help the others. We will come back for you." Ivan said and Matthew nodded quickly.

The group left and Matthew rocked Holland gently petting his hair. "I'm so sorry."

"For what?" Holland asked. "You didn't pin me to the floor with needles."

"My people-"

"They aren't your people. They are just people Matthew. Just angels who lost their way." Holland replied. "Come on. Help me to my feet. We need to get going."

"No not yet. Let me just hold you." Matthew said softly holding Holland tighter making the demon laugh. "It takes till I'm almost dead to get you to touch me? I should almost die more often."

"Shut up."

Holland chuckled again before he leaned forward and started to lift himself up. "Come on angel. Now is no time for us to take a break. Most of the other rooms are cleared out I can hear more people in the hall. We need to make them a way out before they panic." Matthew grudgingly hooked one of Holland's arms over his shoulder and lifted them both using his wings to steady them before the half walked half stumbled to the main hall.

"We need to move now they are trying to break down the door!" Francis said running by towards the dead end.

Matthew looked back down the other way trying to see the main door out but it was blocked by to many people. He was pleased to see that Mathias, Norge, Ice, Su and Tino had all been reunited though Mathias was being supported by Ivan and Ice was clinging desperately to his brother and Tino was passed out in Su's arms most of his body wrapped in crude bandages.

"Where is that little one?" Matthew called. "The fallen one?"

"Sebastian is trying to get him to come out of his room…Gilbert wont either." Ivan sounded pained. Something bad had happened.

"Shit." Matthew cursed hearing the pounding at the door growing louder and people were starting to scream. Now that they were reunited with their loved ones they didn't want to be separated again. "We need to break down that wall." Just as the words were leaving his mouth the dead end wall opened up in a crumbling of stone and mortar and support beams.

Francis came couching out of the rubble and smiled rubbing the back of his head innocently where a halo was perched. "Guess I hit that a little harder than I thought."

Everything then happened at once. People pushed and clawed their way to the next exit fleeing in all different directions some staying to help others who were too weak to move on their own. The hall cleared out faster than Matthew thought possible when suddenly he was being shoved towards the exit too. "Wait Gilbert is." Sebastian got him and the other fallen we have to go!" Ivan yelled helping Matthew with Holland and still carrying Mathias with Norge on his other side trying to help.

Once outside Matthew watched the angels wings slid out of their backs. Francis took Tino and hooked and arm around Ice before taking to the sky with his cream colored wings. Norge let out a startled sound as Ivan grabbed him around the waist and pushed of the ground with his grayish off white wings.

Matthew picked Holland up bridal style best he could making Holland laugh tiredly leaning into the smaller man. "You can't carry me."

"To hell I can't." Matthew replied looking back at Sebastian who was dragging a protesting Feliciano and Gilbert behind him. Huge black bat like wings morphed onto his back making both boys shut up and look in awe. Shape shifters were a rare sight.

Sebastian pulled Feliciano and Gilbert close before giving Matthew a nod and taking flight. Matthew watched the others in the sky a moment before turning back towards the building. Adam was standing in the center of the broken wall not a scratch on him as he looked over the group of fleeing demons on the ground. "Leave them alone." Matthew yelled drawing light brown eyes. "I don't need them anymore. go on." Adam replied dismissing the younger angel.

"How can I trust you?" Matthew demanded.

"Trust me?" Adam mimicked before laughing. "My dear boy I don't need you to trust me I need you to leave. Sometimes the story isn't always about you. Your part is over. Go back to letting Sebastian guide you."

Matthew didn't understand and was about to say so as a group of angels joined Adam in the opening. "Sir they are getting aw-"Adams hand went straight through the man's chest ripping out his hard and crushing it in his hand. Matthew jerked back in shock before he jumped and took off pushing his wings hard to flee and follow his friends.

Sebastian led them to an abandoned build miles away and they all landed exhausted. "Come." Sebastian led them inside and shoved Gilbert and Feliciano down into two chairs and then pushed things off counters so Francis could put both Tino and Ice down. Francis helped Sebastian shove plates off a dirt covered table so Ivan could put Mathias down who whimpered in pain. "Put Holland here." Ivan drug over a rolling island and Matthew hesitated before placing the demon lord atop it.

Norge was crying caught between holding Mathias hand and going to his passed out brother. Francis was talking with Sebastian as the both started to collect things to clean people up with. "There should be some towels upstairs we can use." Matthew heard one of the say as he petted hair out of Holland's face.

Su was talking softly to Tino even though the other was also passed out. It made things tighten in Matthews throat. Holland seemed to understand because he smiled weakly at Matthew offering a bloody hand to hold. Matthew took it.

"I have to go back. I have to Adam said he could bring them back don't you understand." Gilbert said to Ivan who was kneeling before him. "He said-"

"Gilbert they are dead!" Ivan said gently. "I know you know this. I know you remember it."

Gilbert shook his head. "No. No. Even if they were Dead there has to be a way to bring them back and Adam can do it. Adam can do anything. Think about it. When humans die they become angel or demons right? That's what the story's say isn't it? Well what happens to Angels and demons when they die? Do we go back to humans? Do we transcend to something else? Why is it when we die it's just over? I can't believe that I-"

"Gilbert, stop it." Ivan said weakly taking the other man's shoulders trying to calm him. Feliciano was looking at them nervously as Gilbert started to shake. "You are going to make yourself sick."

"I AM SICK!" Gilbert yelled startling everyone. "I fucking sick of living with a mind I have no control over. I'm sick of living as demon. I'm sick of living without them!"

"SHUT UP!" Romano yelled standing up out of his chair. Matthew wasn't sure how he knew so instantly that the pissed off boy was one and not the other even without looking. It was like their aura changed so subtly that only with his power open could Matthew actually feel the shift. "Shut up you bastard. Your lovers are dead and these people are trying to help you and all you're doing is making it harder. We all have fucking problems alright so just shut the fuck up and keep yours to yourself!"

Gilberts red eyes had widened almost comically wide if it weren't for the spike in pressure Matthew felt in his soul he would have laughed. "There is too much going on in here. If you're not sick get the fuck out." Francis demanded firmly. Norge opened his mouth to protest and Sebastian quieted him. "We will send everyone out as we fix them up and let everyone else back in when we are finished."

"There were beds here last time, they may need a little airing out but they should be clean enough for our stay." Matthew swallowed hard but Holland gave him another smile and he walked out of the room without protest going to find a room to clean out for him and Holland. Gilbert shoved out of his seat brushing past Ivan and the now sobbing Feliciano. Norge left the room in a huff followed by an annoyed looking Su who only paused to place a kiss against Tino's still lips.

Sebastian pulled up a part of the floor as everyone left picking up a basket full of medical supplies. "Always good to be prepared at your safe house." He said at Francis's questioning look. "Here use these on Tino." He passed a roll of bandages as Ivan sighed standing and gently led Feliciano out the door. Outside in what looked like the living room Gilbert was looking out a window as Feliciano pulled away from Ivan and tugged on his sleeve. "I-I'm sorry." He said weakly looking down blushing and tugging at his shirt as Gilbert narrowed red eyes at him. "But…Aren't you Gilbert. L-Ludwig's brother?"

Gilberts eyes opened wide grabbing a hold of the boy's face making him look up and wince as the other fall angel gripped his bruised cheek trying to see the face under the ugly black and blue marks. "Feliciano?" He whispered the name. "It can't be. They gave Ludwig your body."

Review?


	24. cleaning

The new fallen angel's eyes watered. "It's me. I'm just…a little different now. Is Ludwig still alive? They told me someone killed him that he lost his mind." He hiccupped a sob and Gilbert pulled the little fallen angel into his chest.

"Oh it's alright." He whispered. "I can send out a messenger demon and Ludwig can be here within a day or two."

"NO!" Feliciano pushed away from Gilbert his face dark. "Keep that bastard away from me. He's the reason we're like this in the first place!"

Gilbert looked at the smaller fallen angel before he frowned. "Romano… I'm beginning to understand what's happened now."

"You don't know anything!" Romano yelled shaking his hand and shoving a hand in front of him to keep Gilbert back. "You don't know what they did to us every day. How they…How they treated us because of that damn mark Feliciano just had to fucking have." Romano swallowed and cursed the tears filling his eyes. "Do you know what happens when one of the known Fallen gets put in with a group of demons? It's like putting a dirty cop in jail with the same people he put away. Feliciano was nearly killed. And bitten h-hundreds of times because they thought it was funny to cover that bastard's mark. But they couldn't cover it. They couldn't take the stink of your brother off of my baby brother and I couldn't let him live like that alone. And now look at what they have done to us…look at what they have done." Romano fell into silence as his tears fell, staring at his hand like he was seeing it for the first time.

"They gave the bastard my Feliciano's body…but that damned mark followed him to me. They said Feliciano was bitten so deep that it imprinted onto his soul. I wanted to kill him I was so mad when that bite mark showed up on my skin."

"Romano…We will get you into your own body again." Gilbert said softly kneeling before the crying man. "I will set you free."

Romano's face smoothed out a second with shock before Feliciano was back bawling up a storm. Gilbert smiled and pulled the little man down to his level clinging to him as much as Feli was clinging to him.

Ivan watched them with a pang in his chest he ignored before going to find his own room that it seemed he would be spending the night in alone.

~!#$%^&*()_~!#$%^&*()_+

Matthew picked the master bedroom. He wasn't sure what made him think he had the right but he nearly hissed when Norge gave him a narrowed eyed look from the door way before going to find his own room. Technically Holland and Matthias were the same rank. Either of them could have taken the master room.

Matthew decided not to think on it. To be honest he didn't want to think at all. He wanted to lay down and pass out and forget the whole mess. But the whole room was covered in dust and flopping down onto the bed would have created a dust cloud that would choke him. So instead Matthew pulled the sheets from the bed and pushed open the doors that lead to a balcony. The morning sun was finally up and felt warm on Matthews skin. The snow back near Holland's home hadn't traveled this far but the ground was still slightly frozen from the morning dew. Judging from the heat Matthew was feeling already the ground wouldn't stay that way for long. It was going to get muddy before noon. Better to wash the sheets and hang them to dry now before the grown thawed.

Matthew left the room dropping the sheets in a corner and went back down to the kitchen sticking his head in trying not to look nosy. Tino was awake now fully bandaged and smiling weakly as Francis finished looking him over. Ice was missing telling Matthew Norge, either came and got him, or the boy was well enough to move about on his own. "Can I help you?" Sebastian asked with a smile walking up to Matthew blocking his view.

"Um I was just wondering how long were we planning to stay here." The blond angel asked blinking in confusion. He couldn't see through Sebastian's eyes. The two human looking blue orbs blinked once at Matthew before the black skinned demon tilted his head. "A while I suppose. Till things die back down. So please make yourself as comfortable as possible…Are you going to shut your power off any time soon?"

Matthew blinked at that. "I hadn't realized I still had it on." He replied. Seeing into peoples souls was becoming far too natural. It felt like something he was always supposed to do. "I don't think I can."

Sebastian made a 'hum' noise before digging around in his pocket and pushing something up onto Matthews face. "Wear these. It will keep you from poking around in other people's souls."

Matthew blinked rapidly through the lenses now in front of his eyes. "Glasses?" He said turning to look at Francis surprised by the fact that he could no longer see into his mind.

"They will help you control you power until you can build and break down your walls in an instant." Sebastian told him wiping his hands on a cloth. "People don't generally take well to others looking so deeply into their very core."

"What are you Sebastian?" Matthew asked looking over the rim of his new glasses trying to see into the man's mind at the very least to no avail.

Sebastian smiled kindly slowly pushing Matthew's spectacles back up his nose. "I am just like you. We are the same design. Nothing more, nothing less. Go on. There is a lot of work to do. We should be done with Holland within the hour or so."

Matthew fled back to his claimed room and sighed as he walked into the attached bath room. Holland would be displeased. The tub was a standard size good for one person at most and wasn't like his fancy in ground 'orgy' tub as Gilbert teasingly called it from time to time. It was filthy. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust. Matthew tried the water and too his surprise it started up after making a groaning noise.

The liquid poured out a nasty rust brown color for a few seconds before it cleared up. He put the stopper in and started to fill the tub dumping in some soap he found under the sink before retrieving his dirty blankets and dropping them in. Pausing a second Matthew pushed up his glasses again trying to ignore how they felt on his nose before leaving the water running and going into the next few rooms collecting all the sheets. "I'm washing them." He said when Norge was reluctant to hand his over from the room he had picked. "I was thinking there was a lot to be done to make this place comfortable and I wanted to help however I could."

"How can I help?" Ice asked surprising them both. The boy had a few bandages but mostly he was covered in a thin layer of salve to help heal the slight burns and a large tee-shirt he must have found in a drawer to cover his naked body.

"Um..well. Dusting maybe." Matthew said looking at Norge for his approval since it was his brother. Norge nodded once. "We can do that." He agreed. "Where should we start?"

Matthew hesitated again not sure how to give directions to these boys who were tortured while he was being fed and bathed and pampered. "Ceilings to floor…Like cobwebs and stuff so then we can get all the dirt down and then sweep and mop the floors. I will help as soon as I'm done washing and hanging these." He added quickly motioning to the sheets in his arms.

"I can do the ceilings." Su said from the doorway making Matthew jump. "You all get the lower things, table tops, bed posts." Norge and Ice nodded in agreement.

"T-thank you." Matthew said swallowing hard. "I saw some cleaning supplies in the bathroom connected to my room."

Su nodded turning before pausing. "I like your glasses."

"They are nice." Ice said

"Very." Norge added grudgingly.

Matthew smiled sheepishly. "Thank you."

"You will get a hold of it eventually." Ice offered making Matthew blush and wonder what power it was that Su was hiding behind his own spectacles.

"It de-amplifies my sight." The serious man said as if guessing Matthews unasked question.

"de-amplifies?"

Su made an affirmative noise not explaining anymore and suddenly Tino was there touching his 'husbands' arm smiling dressed in more worn out clothes that must have been from around the house. "He means that without them he can see too well. It's how he got all the glass out of your skin before."

"Wife." Su said dropping to one knee to look Tino over. "I'm alright." The smaller demon said chuckling at his lovers worry. "Francis is a good doctor."

Matthew felt a lump in his throat and pushed it down. "He is like you then. You saw all of my broken bones that day."

Tino laughed again and everyone seemed to relax a little. "Oh no. Su can see fantastically things outside the body or into a cut let's say. I can see below the skin. When I use my power I don't see skin and flesh but muscle and bone and blood flow. It's like your skin becomes an outline and your insides become perfectly clear."

Matthew nodded and Tino smiled again. "Alright then crew. Let's get started before the bosses get up."

Tino mostly supervised as Su wouldn't let him do any hard labor and Matthew found it took a lot longer to wash sheets then he previously thought. Tino brought him a rope and suggested they hang the bedding out to dry. Ivan joined them a while later and flew out to a tree in the yard while Tino tied the other end and Matthew hung the sopping wet cloth. Much laughing, panting, and scrubbing latter all of the upper floor rooms were clean and the six of them were filth from head to toe. Ice snorted a laugh as they stood looking at their work.

"Downstairs?" Norge asked rubbing the back of his head and the group groaned before grabbing their supplies up again. Somewhere Ice had found a broom that was broken in half but in decent working order. Su was the one who found the linen closet and passed out rags they were using to scrub every surface they could get their hands on. The 'old moldy' smell was starting to leave now that all the windows were propped open, though some took some manhandling, the house really wasn't in too bad of shape. Norge had braved Francis and Sebastains wrath and ventured into the kitchen and found a garbage bag earlier, And Matthew suspected a kiss on the lips from his lover if the blush on his face was anything to go by.

"This stair case is going to suck." Matthew sighed looking at the wooden railing and large steps.

"Oh I don't know. Looks kinda fun to me." Feliciano said from the bottom of the stairs. Gilbert was standing with the other Fallen looking annoyed. The two Fallen angels had been keeping to themselves for the past few hours and Matthew wasn't sure if he should even approach them. Demons and Fallen didn't really get alone. That was part of the banishment. You became something like a half breed unexpected by either side if they knew who you were.

"How could this possibly be any fun?" Norge asked putting a hand on his hips glairing down at the other male. Feliciano bit at his lip and pulled at the bottom of his shirt before suddenly he was at the top of the stairs. 'teleportation demon trait.' Matthew thought. Feliciano gave them a big smile taking one of the rags and putting it on the banister before swinging a leg over it facing them and pushing off. "WAIT!" Matthew called worried the little man would fall off before suddenly he was sliding backwards laughing. He launched off the end as his brothers still intact angel wings slipped from his back keeping him from slamming into the floor. "Oh come on try it." He called his smile wide and forced begging them to interact with him. Begging them to see him. Matthew knew that look anywhere, it was the one he wore most of his life. He had to wonder how long the poor thing was locked in that room.

Everyone at the top hesitated. Suddenly Tino was on the other railing and pushing off before Su could stop him. "Here I go!" He called out. Feliciano's whole face lit up and he caught the demon at the bottom keeping him from harm and they laughed.

"Come on Ice!" The silver headed boy hesitated chewing at his lip nervously when Norge softly cleared his throat. "Well if you're not going-" He said hooking his legs over the side of the railing as dignified as he could.

"Ah wait we'll race." Ice cried not wanting to left out if his brother was going to play along and seated himself on the second banister. "On the count of three." Tino called up to them. "One. Two."

"Three go go!" Feliciano yelled.

Four races later Matthew talked Feliciano into helping him get all the dust and cobwebs off so that Ivan and Su could mop. A "Si, si I would love to' later and they were getting to work as the younger ones continued to play and occasionally point out spots Matthew missed. The little Italian turned out to be quiet the cleaner and they had the stair case completely spotless in less time than Matthew had thought possible and he even got a good laugh watching Ivan and Su mop between every nook and cranny of each step.

"You guys wanna clean down here too or take a break?" Matthew asked looking at the rest of the work they had cut out for them with the lower floor. Between the kitchen, the downstairs bathroom, the dining room, and the living room they had their work cut out for them.

"Let's do it now." Tino piped up hands on his hips like they were rulers and this was their kingdom that they were whipping back into shape.

"Si! Then we can have the rest of the day to play before it gets dark…and maybe we can get dinner if we're good!" Feliciano added smiling widely like it was the best idea in the world to get to interact with people and be fed. Matthew resisted the urge to pull the little man into a hug and clapped his hands together. "Alright then. Let's get to it."

By silent agreement everyone avoided the kitchen even when Mathias's cry's poured out from his bones being popped back into place and Holland cursed followed by a half swallowed scream of pain. Norge abandoned cleaning soon after they started claiming he needed to go check on the sheets and see if they were dry. Matthew didn't blame him. He wanted to run and hid too but he couldn't seem to make himself walk away. Tino, Ice, and Feliciano seemed to make it their job to keep him busy by making him give them orders to follow.

Open windows. If they are stuck get Ivan or Su to do it. Dust the ceilings and fans first do a quick wash of the walls and please tell me if anything needs fixing. After the walls and the mantels and the table tops maybe we could take the couch cushions outside and beat all the dust out of them and take the whole frame of the couch out to air since it's so nice out. The boys were very complacent and eager to please, working hard. Feliciano even offered to clean the fireplace and claimed he knew how to go up on the roof and clean the inside as well if he could make the proper tool for it.

"Where did you learn to clean so well Feli?" Tino asked making Matthew wince fearing the answer may have been bad.

"Oh when I was still and angel-" He started with a smile as he scrubbed at a wall. "I used to come and clean Roderich and Elizabeth's house for them. I didn't do missions like everyone else I was…not strong enough I guess. In the stomach I mean, blood makes me a little nauseous." He giggled sheepishly like it was a bad thing he couldn't kill people. "They were very busy and I offered to help them out, 'cause you know Gilbert was moving in and they wanted it to be nice. I just kinda kept coming back even after Gilbert showed up. Elizabeth liked to baby me I think, she really wanted on of her own. Not that I minded. She was a nice lady."

"How is it that you came about meeting a demon like Ludwig than if you didn't ever leave heaven for missions?" Ivan asked. Everyone had stopped and listened to the boy talk about his past.

"Oh…well…" Feliciano scowled like he was thinking hard about what to say. "When…Roderich and Elizabeth were um punished I found out from my brother that they didn't kill Gilbert along with them. That the angels decided that it was his fault that such good angels like Eliza and Rodie became sinners so instead of killing him they made him a Fallen so he would forever have to live with his guilt…" Feliciano stopped scrubbing the wall and just frowned at it. "Romano told me I shouldn't…But I had to go and find him. To be cast out with that kind of guilt would have killed him. It took me years, but when I finally did find him again he was living a whole new life. He didn't know me anymore. Didn't remember anything and with him was the most attractive man I have ever seen. I was in love from the first time we spoke." Feliciano smiled widely, but Matthew saw the beginning of tears in his eyes as he glanced up at everyone before dropping his rag in a bucket of water next to him and ringing it before starting up his story again as he cleaned a new section of wall.

"Gilbert said Ludwig was his brother. That he'd woken up one day and there he was just a child at the time. You know how differently angels and demons age from humans one day we're children the next it's like we're all grown up… It was my fault Gilbert started to have the remember his past. I started asking him about his old life and he lost it. Flash backs all the time. He cried a lot then…Ludwig told me I did the right thing but sometimes I wonder if he wouldn't have been happier not remembering them at all…I ended up sneaking up and meeting with Ludwig almost twice a week. It was amazing. He is so serious in front of people but with me…He loved me."

Everyone was quiet a moment. "Why don't you want to see him again then? You are free now da?" Ivan asked frowning.

"Ah well-" Feliciano was chuckling again in that depreciating way he did. "Romano doesn't like Ludwig. No let me correct that Romano HATES Ludwig. He blames him for my fall… Because Romano said I was too stupid to know better, but Ludwig should have told me not to go back. Should never have let me play house with him. Should have never marked me like he did…And now Romano is always with me. Sees what I see. Feels what I feel…how could I go back to Ludwig with baggage like that? It would never be just us. I can never 'sneak away' from my brother again."

"That's some heavy stuff." Mathias said from the kitchen door way. He was a little roughed up but up and moving finally. "Don't be so sad little thing. If you love him. And God willing he loves you then you'll find a way."

Feliciano smiled at that. "Thank you."

"Mathias." Norge breathed out the name from the top of the stairs. Holding sheets in his arms like he had come running when he'd heard the others voice.

"Hey cuteness." Mathias replied rubbing at the back of his head sheepishly. "You miss me?"

Norge burst into a fit of tears running down the stairs and launching himself of the last four steps into his lovers arms. Mathias caught him but stumbled back still weak on his newly healed legs as he held his little lover close. "Oh Norge." He sighed before he was bombarded on both sides by Tino and Ice. Even Su moved closer only to shake his head before Mathias laughed and tugged the stoic man into the group hug.

Matthew watched crushing his jealousy at their reunion as the group broke up and Norge pulled Mathias up the stairs without fanfare to lock them both in his bedroom. "What's it like?" Ice asked sitting on one of the steps now that everything had quieted down again.

Feliciano looked up blinking innocent eyes that made Matthew want to protect him from all harm that could possibly come to him.

"Falling?" Ice asked with the straightest face Matthew had ever seen. He would have never had the nerve to ask such a question. Wasn't sure he even wanted to know the answer as he was probably well on the way to being deemed unredeemable and become a Fallen angel himself with having his own demon mark and now releasing Demon prisoners.

Feliciano's face darkened for a moment and to Matthew's great surprise Romano didn't surface. It was purely Feli's anger that was looking back out at them for what was done to him. "It's like being shoved down the stairway to Heaven and your body not having the common decency to just die when you reach the bottom."


	25. kiss me again

"What are you doing?"

"What's it look like I'm doing. I'm sleeping."

Matthew sighed heavily and knelt next to Gilbert who was lying in a sun spot on the front porch. "You're weren't sleeping. Your breathing pattern was wrong for sleep. Not deep enough not slow enough. Your body is rigid, even while you lay here when we are safe and everyone has lived and you're no longer in a cage. You can't relax enough to sleep because you're afraid. Afraid they will come back for you afraid of what you will see in your dreams.-"

"You're wrong." Gilbert said cutting Matthew off still not opening his eyes. "I'm not afraid that they'll come back for me. I am afraid they _won't_…that they have done their damage and now they will leave me forever wondering Elizabeth and Roderich are still alive in waiting for me."

Matthew sighed at that rubbing the back of his head. "Oh Gilbert."

"What do you want? Why are you bothering me?" The albino popped an eye open only so he could glair at the angel near him.

"You are avoiding the others."

"Why do you care?"

"Look, everybody went through some bad shit Gilbert. You can't sit out here-"

"Fuck off." Matthew hesitated a moment trying to crush his rising anger before Gilbert pushing himself upright glaring at the blond. "Leave me the fuck alone."

Matthew jerked up so he was standing glaring right back down at Gilbert. "Do you plan on living in this house?"

"Wh-"

"Do you or do you not plan on living in this house?"

Gilberts glare deepened with confusion. "Well yeah. It's not like I have anywhere else I can go right no-"

"Then shut up and do your fair share of work." Matthew said hands on his hips completely serious and pissed off. "Everyone has been busting their asses to get this place into shape while your lazy ass sits around pitying yourself. Well you know what, fuck you Gilbert. Everybody got fucked over in that place but they are doing their best to get their shit together long enough to be useful. And you know what, they won't even let me in the kitchen to make sure Holland isn't bleeding to death and I'm try my damnedest to not loss it. So you can cry later when Ivan has time to baby you but I'm not in the _God Damn Mood_!"

Gilbert sat frozen looking at Matthew like the angel had grown fangs and sprouted horns during his rant which would normally make Matthew laugh, but this time push him a little closer near the edge of fury he was leaning closer and closer towards. "Move your ass! There is a pipe in the bathroom that's broken go shut off the water to that sink so it will stop leaking."

The red eyed man jerked like he'd been physically restarted before he forced his body to stand and slipped past Matthew into the house. The angel sighed lowering his head hoping he hadn't been too harsh before he raised his face and let the sun warm his cheeks. Judging by the suns position in the sky it was around two. They had been working all morning on empty stomachs he needed to get them food.

"Matthew?" Sebastian's voice startled him making him whip around.

"Is he-"

"We're not done yet." The butler said holding up his hand to quiet the questions before they even came. "But we're getting there. The damage done to him was not life threatening but extensive. It's a lot to heal."

Matthew swallowed crushing his nervousness as he nodded looking up at the demon. "Alright."

"I came to tell you that Ivan found the hot water heater and it's warming up as we speak. I thought maybe you would like the first warm shower."

"Thank you that's very kind. I was actually wondering if there was any place around here I could go and get food for everyone. If we were gonna be here a while I wanted to stock up in one trip so we could lay low for a while."

Sebastian hesitated a second. "There is no need actually. This is Holland safe house. It is a tad run down but we like to keep it that why so we don't get looted since it is not often in use. But a friend of the Lords will bring us everything we need to make our stay comfortable. Food, clothing and the likes. I have just sent Ice out to tell him of our arrival."

"Ice? But he-"

"Needed to get out of the house. He is steady of his feet and is not as young as you think him to be…He has trouble excepting his brother and Mathias's relationship. He needed the walk and it's not far." The black skinned demon explained before they fell into silence.

"We have cleaned almost the whole house. We are just finish up the down stairs."

"You have done good Matthew. They needed to be told what to do. Sheep sometimes need a Shepard more then they know."

The angel nodded frowning. "Sebastian…I saw…" Matthew hesitated not sure how to breach the subject of what he saw or if he even should.

"You saw Adam and I yes? That's what you want to ask me about?" Sebastian pulled the front door shut behind him and smiled kindly at Matthew with his too human eyes.

"I- You were…talking to him. Like he…" Matthew paused shaking his head as he ran the scene threw his mind again trying to see what it was he had missed that allowed these two at opposite spectrums to coexist the way that had in that little room. "Like he was a friend."

The demon chuckled drawing Matthews gaze. His look pleading, begging the other man to tell him he was wrong. To tell him that he didn't see what he saw. "I wouldn't call him a friend." Sebastian started leaning against the railing of the wrap around porch, looking out at the wide open yard ahead of them. "A very old acquaintance is just to stand offish though I suppose."

"You do know him then." Matthew said shocked.

"I do." Sebastian replied with a smile looking back at the blond.

"But…How. How could you sit in that room with him and talk to him knowing what he was doing to everyone?"

Sebastian sighed shaking his head looking up at the sky. "Adam…believes there is a method to his madness. A tough love if you will."

"Tough love!" Matthew repeated eyes wide. He felt so confused he was light headed. "He was _Torturing_ people. Innocent people! What could we have possibly gained from that?"

"Mathias gained Norge's open affection if only for a moment. Ice gained Norge's unwavering attention for anything he will ever need. Tino gained Su's undying need to protect him from any harm for the rest of his life. Gilbert gained back more memories or his forgotten lovers that he would have never remembered on his own. And Holland…well Holland gained your admiration, even if you haven't realized you've given it to him yet. It is complete his and you child, will fight to the death for people you find worthy." Sebastian was facing Matthew now with his arms cross across his chest.

"So you're saying you agree with what he did?" Matthew choked out through his tears. God when had he started crying? This was awful. Feeling anything but hatred for Adam made him want to puke.

"Oh no. No no I completely disagree with Adam's form of interference, but I don't begrudge him for it either. It's just his way. If there were no wolves Matthew, the sheep need no shepherd. Do you understand?"

"Are you saying Adam is not an evil man?"

"I am saying that not everything is an easy answer. Not everyone can be lumped in a pile of good people, evil people. That maybe even God and the Devil are not pure white and black as everyone thinks. That maybe they a grey just like the rest of us trying to get us to go down the right path to right pasture. You get it little sheep?"

"How could the Devil be anything but darkness Sebastian? What you're trying to tell me is you think there are no bad people?"

Sebastian chuckled again. "No. All I am saying is that if there was no Devil there would be no God." Matthew scowled so the demon continued. "If there was no alternative to Good what would you have?"

"Peace?"

"No Matthew you would drones. Angels, Demons, Humans none of them would be living things, they would be no more than computers programed to do as they were told. There has to be an alternative. People have to have a chance to be-" Sebastian made quotation marks with his fingers. "'bad' in order to truly be good. The devil is necessary to the balance. We are nothing, no one, without this balance."

Matthew was staring at Sebastian strangely now like things were starting to come together but they were still too confusing to make sense of in his head and the man smiled. "Are we starting to get it now?"

"You and Adam…You're…Are you-?"

"God?" Sebastian finished for Matthew making him jerk. The demon laughed and shook his head. "I'm no one's God. I thank you for the vote of confidence though."

Matthew didn't look completely convinced even if the idea in his head was only half formed he looked weary of Sebastian still making the man sigh and roll his eyes as if exasperated before looking back at Matthew in the eye. "I have an idea. How about if you forget that we even had this conversation? I can see now things between you and I won't be the same after this and I can't really have that so just relax and forget. Forget you ever even saw me and Adam talking. How's that?...Now Matthew how about that shower?"

Matthew blinked for a moment suddenly very confused and he took a shuttering breath like he was surfacing from underwater. "I'm sorry…I-"

"I can tell you are worried about Holland. What, with you standing on the porch just crying like this." Sebastian said taking Matthew by the arm and leading him towards the front door patting his arm.

"I'm sorry I-I should really help the others finish up. I don't know what's come over me." Matthew said fishing fist under the rim of his glasses to rub at his eyes to rid them of tears."

"Oh Matthew they are almost done and you deserve a break. Go one now. Go shower. I promise to have Holland to you by the time you are out."

Matthew let himself be lead into the house and ushered up the stairs. He did need a shower he was filthy. He thought looking at his dirty hands.

When Matthew got back to his room he was surprised to see the sheets and covers back on the bed completely dry and ready for use. God all he wanted to do way lay down but he forced himself into the bathroom and turned on the slowly warming spray. There was a half empty bottle of shampoo under the sink but no body wash. Matthew sighed but quickly decided he was lucky to have anything.

He hesitated a second looking at his wings not sure whether he should put them away or keep them out. After having lived so long without them they suddenly felt cumbersome on his back. Like they were too much to have out for such a simple task as showering but they needed to be washed so he decided to keep them out for the shower dry them as quickly as possible then put them away till he needed them.

Matthew stepped into the shower and pulled the curtain closed behind him forcing himself to move slowly. He was afraid to wash to quickly and find that Holland still wasn't better when he got out.

He started with his hair wetting, lathering intensely, rinsing until every bubble was out. His wings were next but were harder to wash due to the water resistant feathers, but Matthew ran his fingers threw them and worked every one clean before he moved on to his body. His body was covered in a fine layer of dirt and dust from cleaning the house that was even under his fingernails, so he lathered up the shampoo and scrubbed his skin till it was pink and worked all the dirt out from under his nails. He washed his face and rinsed out his mouth. He scrubbed thoroughly behind his ears and then lost a little water pressure. Someone else had started up a shower.

Matthew sighed and bit at his lip as he stood under the spray. He wasn't going to get any cleaner and he had already used up too much hot water. It was time to get out.

Matthew turned off his water and rung out his hair standing still a moment longer before pushing open the curtain and reaching for a towel he had found earlier in the linin closet. He dried slowly before he finally had nothing more to do in the small bathroom and wrapped the towel around his waist. He already decided he would rather wear old clothes that were probably a tad dusty then put on any clothes that came from Adam.

Matthew held his breath a moment with his hand on the door knob before he pushed it open and found…

nothing.

The room was still empty, Holland nowhere to be found. Matthew sighed walking out into the room giving it a once over. Now what should he do? Dress? Sleep?

His pruple eyes landed on the doors to the balcony and Matthew smiled. He could sun dry. No one would be outside and his wings needed to be completely moister free before he slid them into his back. Matthew smiled shyly and dropped his towel walking towards the doors with half confidence and half feeling like an idiot as he swung the doors open

Matthew let out a half groan of appreciation and then a sigh of content in the warm sunlight. It felt so good on his skin. Matthew hesitated only a second more before he sat on the railing bare assed and stretched out his wings to help them dry as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back to the sun. That's what he need. Warmth. Something to bring so light back into his dreary world.

"Well. Not what I was expecting to find but still the best damn thing I have seen in a while." A voice startled Matthew enough that he dropped down back to the safety of the balcony. He blinked open his eyes taking a second for them to adjust to the darkness of the bedroom before Holland came into focus standing just in the bedrooms threshold in old warn out clothes with the door shut behind him. "Hello Angel."

Matthew was across the room in a flurry of feathers wrapping his arms around Holland and burying his face into the man's shoulder. "Oh God Holland." He whispered and the other man laughed softly holding the smaller man close.

"I really should get tortured more often. I get the best rewards when it's all said and done."

Matthew pulled his head back to scowled Holland for saying such things when suddenly warm lips were pressed against his and nothing else in the whole world mattered. They were safe. They were safe and they were here and Matthew finally thought he wanted to do something a little more than kissing. So his wings sunk into his back making him tiny again and he eased Holland towards the bed.

Review?


	26. dinner

"Matthew." Holland said nervously pulling away from the kiss as his knees hit the back of the bed and he dropped down onto it. The angel crushed his nervousness and straddled Holland leaning down and kissing him again.

Holland's arms wrapped around the smaller man, splaying his large fingers across Matthew's back, making him shutter. "Oh God." He breathed the words against the demons lips before they were locked in a kiss again. The darker makings on his skin where his wings retracted into were ten times as sensitive then the rest of his back. He'd never noticed before because he'd never really put his wings away much previously.

Their tongues twined in a slow rhythmic dance that both lulled Matthew into feeling safe and calm and revved up his whole system. He felt like his body was on fire and freezing at the same time. Like little kisses of heat were licking across his flesh being chased by tiny ice fingers making him not sure if he should shiver from cold or pant from heat.

He ended up doing both, though the shaking was from some greater need filling him that he couldn't quiet explained so he settled for touching every part of Holland he could get his hands on. And the panting was from a mixture of kissing till he was out of air and his heart pounding in his chest like he had just finished running around the world.

"Matthew ah-" Holland cut himself short when Matthew wiggled to get more comfortable and accidently rubbed Holland's clothed and his unclothed vital regions together.

Somehow Matthew had managed to push his hands up Holland's shirt and took a moment to enjoy the feeling of the muscle beneath his fingertips before trying to shove the shirt out of his way so he could latch his mouth to a nipple. Girls liked it he figured men probably would too. When Holland's body jerked under him and a strangled noise left the man's throat Matthew shuttered. The deep throated sound made things in Matthews insides tighten that he didn't want to take the time to analyze, but he couldn't help the responding noise he made back when Holland's hand wound in his slightly damp hair. "Jesus, Matthew slow down." Holland panted, head rolled back as the angel left open mouth kisses leading from one nipple to the other before nipping at it and Holland made the noise again.

Matthew paid the man no mind feeling desperate for something that he couldn't even place, but the need was making him feel slightly intoxicated, like every kiss and lick across the demon below him skin was the liquor he so craved.

Matthew ground their hips together on purpose this time and gasped at the electric shock that traveled up his spine from the rough feeling of Holland's pants against his ultrasensitive member. He was going to die before this was done if he couldn't just scratch the itch that came from his libido. He pressed down harder pressing his mouth to Holland's, swallowing the man's moans as he started up a slow easy rhythm against each other. One of Matthew hands found its way into Holland's spiked hair and the other grasped blindly at the top of his pants trying to find the zipper to get it down and out of the way.

than suddenly Matthew was flipped onto his back and Holland was towering over him. Pinning his hands down, feather earing hanging between them, fangs out, eyes dilated with arousal. His nose was flaring, scenting Matthew as he bowed his head touching their foreheads together, panting, body shaking slightly.

Matthew looked at the man above him suddenly feeling unbelievably vulnerable. "Holland?" He said hardly able to push the name past his tight throat.

"God Angel. You are trying to kill me." Holland said softly forcibly trying to slow his breathing lifting his head a little and that's when Matthew realized the man wasn't trying to take control in a sexual way but put a stop to their endeavors.

"Why are we stopping?" Matthew asked breathlessly, blinking in surprised. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No. God no. You were doing it all right." Holland said laughing between pants.

"Then what's wrong?" Matthew shifted his leg up rubbing his knee against Holland's crotch feeling the substantial bulge that was still there and Holland made a pained face.

"Boy! First off these pants are so damn tight I think if you made me get any thinker I would either die from the pain of it or I would rip them at the seam. Second, my dear suddenly sexual explorer, my whole body hurts so bad from the heal they just put me though I don't think I could perform in the manner I wish to, to make you scream my name." Holland's voice lowered to a dangerously sexy tone as they locked eyes a moment and Matthew suddenly realized what he had been trying to do and the panic set in just as Holland smiled. "Third, dearest, You are not ready for that no matter what your body is telling you and I'm not having sex with you just to do you once and have you lose it so I can never touch you again." Holland dipped his head closer so his lips were hovering over Matthews. "When I take you darling, I want you to beg me to take you again so that it is perfect."

Matthew was panting again by the time Holland placed a chaste kiss against his lips and backed up a bit letting go of the angels wrists and the man smiled gently. "So I would like to take this moment to ask you if you would be willing to go to dinner with me tonight. So I can court you properly before I convince you, you actually do want to stay in my bed."

Matthew swallowed feeling like an idiot. "Dinner? Should we really be leaving?"

"Oh we're not leaving. It would be here."

"With everyone?"

"No just us." Holland was smiling that brilliant smile he rarely showed and Matthew felt his insides flutter. "It's not out out like I wanted but I was hoping it would do considering the situation."

"No its great. I mean…" His face was on fire. "I would love to."

Holland made an affirmative noise before his eyes trailed over Matthews exposed body. "Jesus, you are something to look at aren't you. Your blush goes all the way down your neck…What's with the glasses?"

Said glasses had slipped down Matthew's nose a bit in their previous fun making him forget all about them. "Ah they help me to keep my power in check. I opened it completely when we were at Adams place. I haven't been able to shut it off an apparently it's rude to force your way into people's minds constantly." Holland made another hum noise of agreement making Matthew frown. "Why can't I see in your mind Holland?"

The demon shrugged. "I don't know. Ludwig can hear my thoughts just fine. Tino can see my skeleton. I have never been immune to anyone's power before...Maybe you're just special. Everybody needs at least one person who can always see them." As he spoke Holland's hands ran gently over Matthews sides. Feeling the skin and making Matthew shiver. "I'm sorry. I can't seem to keep my hands off you."

Matthew licked his lips nervously glancing towards the door. "How much time do we have before dinner?"

"Twenty minutes maybe. Francis and Sebastian were cleaning when I left the kitchen but the said it wouldn't take long."

Matthew was blushing again trying to fight down his hard on. It was so hard to be the only naked one. "Maybe…maybe we could um. Make out till then…just a little."

Holland smiled showing fangs that made things flip flop in his stomach. Alfred, his brother, would be disturbed if he knew Matthew found those teeth unbearably sexy. "We can do that."

Holland leaned down hands on either side of Matthews head pressed into the mattress making a pretend cage as he pressed their lips together. Holland smiled into the caress before he left Matthews now rather ravished lip's and pressed a kiss at the juncture of Matthew shoulder and neck. The angel made a strangled sound that went straight to Holland groin and he had to remind himself not to get too carried away as he grazed his teeth against flesh.

"I wish I was not so afraid." Matthew whispered hands clinging to Holland's back.

"I like it just the way you are. No man should just be given a prize." The ash haired blond replied placing another kiss on Matthews collar bone taking a moment to nuzzle the smooth skin where arm met shoulder. "He has to earn it. I like the wait. The pressure that builds up." His large fingers landed on Matthew's stomach and trailed upwards to his neck. "The need, the want…the desire that fills you. It will all be worth it in the end when we both give in and there is no more waiting, and no more doubts. It's just you and me." Holland had pulled back a little as his hands continued to roam freely making Matthews breathe hitch and his body twitch involuntarily when a sensitive spot was brushed over. "Completely consumed with one another. Past the point of caring what anyone else would think. Because all that will be on our minds will be pleasing one another to the point of madness and I-" Holland said smiling and sliding hands down Matthews hips, dangerously close to his man hood. "- will take great pleasure in driving you to madness darling angel for all the madness you have driven me to in this past month and a half. I will take you to the very edge of orgasm; have you screaming my name for the whole house to hear only to back off and make you beg me to do it all over again. And when I am done teasing you I will sink deeply inside of that fantastic ass of yours," Matthew breath hitched at this but Holland didn't stop talking "as I have been dying to do since I first laid eyes on you."

Matthew felt like he was going to pass out from the eroticism of listening to what Holland had planned for him. He was panting and Holland's hands had stopped moving since they reached the angels hips just resting there before the tightened softly like Holland planned to take him in that moment and to be honest Matthew wasn't sure he would have stopped him. "Matthew…when I have done all this." Holland said lowering his voice, amber eyes half lidded as if he was already seeing everything he was talking about. "When I have teased you, and pleased you and made you realize how important you are becoming to me I am going to bury myself inside of you and take a second to just relish the feeling of being allowed to have you in such an personal way and I am going to thank your God for letting me have even that one second of your intimacy. And then," Holland touched Matthews face pulling of his glasses and setting them aside so they were eye to eye before grasping his hip again. "I am going to make love to you. Because there is no doubt in my mind that by the time we get this this point we are going to be in love if only for the few hours we spend wrapped in each other's arms, wishing the rest of the world away. It's going to be sweet, and slow and oh oh Matthew your crying!" Holland suddenly let go of Matthews upper hips like he'd been burned not sure what he'd done. "Did I hurt you?" He asked moving to get off of him as Matthew hid his face behind his hands and cried.

"What did I do?" Holland asked franticly sitting next to his as close as he dared afraid he'd made some mistake.

"T-that was the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me." Matthew sobbed and the demon took a moment to register that before he smiled softly.

"Oh Matthew." He sighed pulling the other man up into his arms burying the angels face against his chest.

They spent the next few minutes wrapped up in each other exchanging little kisses before Holland tempted Matthew out of bed to show them the clothes Sebastian had brought for them. Holland said that Sebastian's contact had brought single pair of decent clothing the same time he brought food.

"Let me help you." Matthew said pulling Hollands shirt slowly over his head carful not to catch the earing.

The man's skin was mostly healed with little red spots indicating where a needle once pierced. "They will go away soon." Holland said suddenly shy and Matthew smiled weakly back trying to hide his sorrow before he placed a kiss against a mark near Holland's shoulder. He traveled downwards and placed another kiss against a new mark then another. Matthew spent ten minutes kissing every mark that was a part of his torture from his chest to his back and the demon was trembling by the end as Matthew helped him ease on his dark blue buttondown shirt. Holland let Matthew fasten every button before he helped the angel pull on his own dark grey shirt and ran his large hands over it to smooth out the wrinkles before buttoning it up.

Matthew left Holland to his own devices so he could dig around in a drawer searching for underwear. Finding boxer briefs that would work and jerking them on Matthew turned back around and to find Holland finished putting on his own dress pants and kneeling on the floor holding open black slacks for the angel to step into. He hesitated for only a second before sliding his feet into the proper holes and letting Holland shimmy them up his legs. The demon paused a moment once the jeans were all the way up and locked eyes with Matthew before placing a kiss against the ugly scar that made up the angels demon mark.

"Ah-" Matthew let out a whispered gasping sound and Holland smiled before standing and tucking Matthews shirt into his trousers before zipping and fastening them closed.

Now that they were both done they stood in silence a moment just looking at one another. "I don't think I have ever been this turned on while _getting_ dressed before. Normally it's the other way around." Holland whispered and Matthew smiled breathing out a laugh that broke the tension. Holland cleared his throat and offered his arm. "Please allow me to escort you to dinner…now that we are done making out like teenagers and are completely dressed." Matthew laughed again before grabbing his glasses off the bed and sliding them on before slipping his arm through Holland's and giving the feather in the man's ear a gently tug just to gain some confidence from a part of his own wing. .

"Please lead the way."

~!#^&*()_~!#$%^&*()_+

Matthew didn't see hid or hair of anyone else on their way down to the dining room though he had a feeling they were being watched by the whole house. Holland pulled out his chair for him which he took gratefully without protesting about his man hood. Holland wanted to court him so he could play nice he thought as the demon took the seat across from him.

A red runner had been found and was spread down the center of the table that looked nice on the dark wood and a candelabrum was lit in the middle of the tabletop. There was silverware set out like a proper table should have. Bread plate and butter knife top left. Wine glass top left. On the left of their dinner plate they had a folded paper napkin, salad fork, dinner fork, and dessert fork. On the other side of the dinner plate there was a knife, a small spoon, and a soup spoon. "This looks nice." Matthew said gently and Holland smiled back at him as Francis swept into the room.

"Monsieur's." He greeted with lavish bowing before setting bowls of salad before them and slipping away their dinner plates. He wasn't dressed any differently than before but his hair was pulled back in its natural pony tail and he had showered since leaving Adam's place. He showed them a bottle of wine. "Would you like to taste it for quality?"

"No thank you. I trust your judgment." Holland replied which seemed to rub Francis just the right way as he smiled widely slipping hi thumb in the bottom on the bottle and poured. "We will have your main curse out momentarily please enjoy this until then. I am François." He said giving them a wink as he used his heavy French accent. "And I will be your server this evening. Monsieur Sébastien is your chef. Please call us if you need anything. Oh an I was told to tell you Ludwig is on his way, but is unaware of all of the... um circumstances." The Frenchman said lowering his voice so only they could hear him.

"Thank you Francis." Holland said folding his napkin in his lap and picking up his salad fork as the blond angel smiled at them both again making Matthew blush before he left the room.

"This is really nice." Matthew said gently looking at his forks a moment trying to figure out which was which. He hadn't been to many fancy dinners in his day. When he looked up to steal a look at which one Holland was using the demon was just staring at him with a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You go out and move in." Holland whispered across the table like they were really at a dinner party and someone else might hear. Matthew blushed a little more and picked up the left most fork before poking at his salad as silence fell around them.

"I have never been on a date with a man." The angel finally burst out, face as red as the first time they kissed and Holland paused in his chewing before smiling widely, finishing the food in his mouth and talking.

"I assumed not."

"I don't know how to act." Matthew pushed on.

"Like yourself would be most appreciated. You are who I am looking to date after all if you acted like anything else but yourself I would be disappointed." Holland wiped at his mouth with his napkin trying to hide a smile as Matthew bit at his lip.

"But…" The angel swallowed hard leaning back in his chair dejectedly as he swallowed hard like he already knew the answer to his next question. "But who is the girl?"

Holland paused at that blinking confused. "Girl?" He glanced around the room making sure he hadn't missed anything. "I'm sorry what?"

"The girl!" Matthew said sharper then he'd meant to because of his embarrassment. "Who has to be the girl in this…relationship we are trying to have? It's me right because you want me to bottom and I don't-"

"Matthew." Holland said cutting him off and drawing his nervous eyes back up from the floor he was glaring holes into. "Neither of us are girls. Bottom, top, middle it doesn't matter." He leaned forward a little. "You are still very much man and that is what I like. I do not expect you to be like some flower headed woman just because I wish to have you as my partner. We are men. I don't mind if you act like one."

Matthew was still blushing so hard that it steamed his glasses a little making him take them off and rub them against his shirt giving him a reason to break eye contact and try and slow his pounding heart. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"So…" Holland picked up a large leaf of lettuce. "Let's start with the basics. I'm Holland. I am a Demon Lord. You have seen my house so you know where I live. Um I have protection over I wanna say one hundred..maybe two hundred people."

Matthew nearly choked. "Two hundred people! Why do you need that many people in your house?"

Holland chuckled and set his finished salad plate off to the side. "I don't. But I do need ground keepers, I have a large chuck of land I like kept tidy Bushes to be trimmed, trees to be harvested, grass to be mowed. That court yard you so love doesn't weed itself you know. I have people who grow food in the gardens and flowers along the house and gates. I also need people to clean my many guest bedrooms, and offices, and libraries, the bathrooms, the hallways and dens, and living areas. Those don't get dusted and cleaned all by Sebastian you know. Then there are the chefs and their assistants. The tailors and then their assistants, for my clothes and the clothes of my guests." He brushed a hand across the table to signal to Matthew. "There are people who start your baths every early morning as you like. Who bring fresh towels and wash your sheets and your dirty clothes. A house my size does not run all on its own so that is quite a few people."

"Yes but…two hundred?" Matthew asked leaving a few leaves in the bottom on his bowl and setting it to the side. Just as soon as Matthew pushed his bowl away Francis was there without a word picking up their finished food and placing down a bowl of warm fantastic smelling tomato soup and crackers. Just as quickly as he was there he was gone without a word.

Holland picked up his large soup spoon showing it to Matthew to signal he should use that one before he continued. "Yes well they don't all work for me, but my workers do have families and I protect them too."

Matthew stirred his soup frowning. "I didn't know demons did that."

Holland shrugged taking a small sip. "Some do. Some don't. Now how about you. Tell me something."

"Um. You know I am Matthew. I am an Angel. My job is that of a hunter because of my…special ability to make people not see me. I live in the east sector of Heaven. I have no servants or people I protect…well outside of my friends. I live with my brother Alfred."

"I didn't know you had a brother." Holland said surprised.

"Sometimes he doesn't know he has a brother either." Matthew replied crushing his crackers and dropping them in his soup.

"Only the one?"

"Yes."

"I have a brother and a sister."

Matthew looked up at that tilting his head. "Do they live with you?" He asked trying to think of all the demons he had met at Holland's. His list was few because he normally avoided them.

"No…no they still live with Antonio."

"Antonio…Francis's and Gilbert's friend Antonio?"

"Yes. He was once my Lord as well before I left. They didn't want to come with me…It was not a good parting." Holland said before taking a large mouthful of soup.

"Why not?" Matthew asked frowning forgetting all about his own food.

"He wanted me to stay. I thought I was grown enough to leave. That's all. It wasn't anything exciting."

"Do you still see them? Your siblings I mean."

"Belle and Lux…yes from time to time they come visit me." Holland was making a sour face so Matthew decided to change the subject. "You did well when you left."

The demon smiled at that and nodded. "I did alright." They fell into casual conversation as the paused only to devour some food before they continued on. Francis came and went taking away their soup bowls and giving them their main course of a baked potato and chicken parmesan. Everything was great. Matthew actually was able to relax about half way through and Holland was surprisingly easy to talk to. They avoided some hard topics like Matthews job but talked about others like how Matthew came to stay at the house and having his wings suppressed.

"I'm not going to apologize." Holland said suddenly.

"For what?" Matthew asked.

"Sealing your wings. I feel bad that it was so devastating to you but I have no doubt that you would have tried to kill a few of my people with your feathers."

Matthew smiled slyly. "You should have been less worried about your people and more worried about yourself. I was damn near ready to drive one through your heart."

"Who do you think would win if we fought?" Holland asked and Matthew put down his second fork to think about it.

"I'm not sure. Are we talking at full power?" Holland nodded hands poised above the last of his chicken. "It's hard to say. I have never seen you fight at full power. I have felt it and it is raw and quite frightening but it's all about how a person fights. And you don't succumb to my power of blinding people from my presence so that's a down side for me."

"I think you would." Holland said with a shrug looking away poping the last piece of food into his mouth.

"Why are you a terrible fighter?" Matthew teased and Holland smiled.

"No. but your halo is dangerous. One little nick and I would be having to deal with deep burning pain. I have no object to throw I'm a hand to hand combat kinda guy." He replied honestly. "Without that halo I think I could probably win."

Matthew shook his head. Laughing at the strangeness of the conversation as Francis came back out and set a single plate of hot apple crisp with slowly melting vanilla ice cream before him. "We only had enough for one plate. We thought you wouldn't mind sharing." Francis gave Matthew a little wink to let him know the older angel just wanted them to have a chance to sit close together.

"Thank you. Everything has been great so far." Holland said picking up his desert fork and coming around the other side of the table to sit next to Matthew in a free seat. "Merci monsieur." Francis smiled widely again and took away their dinner plates leaving them alone again.

Matthew was blushing at their close proximity and Holland grinned. "Am I pushing my luck?" He asked as their knees touched under the table. "No." Matthew replied softly distracting himself with a bite of their dessert and moaning. "Oh my god this is good!" he said shocked before his eyes landed on Holland who was looking at him wide eyed fangs half out. "What?" Matthew asked suddenly self-conscious.

"I'm strangely jealous of a plate of dessert. It made you moan louder than I did." He said teasingly pulling the fangs back to their normal size. As Matthew blushed ten shades of red and Holland laughed. They finished the dessert agreeing it was the best they had both ever had and drinking the rest of their wine when suddenly there was nothing left for them to do at the table. Francis didn't come out with anymore food and there was nothing left to drink. "What do we do now?" Matthew asked softly.

"I was thinking I might kiss you." Holland replied honestly.

"I would like that." Matthew replied glancing at the floor before looking back up at Holland over the rim of his glasses.

"I am going to kiss Matthew now. I would appreciate it if you all stopped staring now." Holland said raising his voice, but not looking away from the angel before him as noises of people scampering away filled the room a moment making Matthew laugh.

Holland hand touched Matthews face gently. Just the barest brush of fingertips on his cheek as they leaned forward and their mouths met. They tasted like apple crisp. Sweet like the sugar that coated the treat as their tongues swirled around each other in a slow dance that belonged completely to them before they pulled back. Matthew's eyes fluttered back open just as Holland's were and they locked eyes smiling. It was far more chaste then some of the kisses they had shared upstairs in the privacy of their room but Matthew found he liked this one the best. It was a promise kiss.

A promise that there would be more to come.

"Well…" Holland said softly. "We have time for a walk before it gets to dark. Would you like to?"

Review?


	27. Reunited

Matthew walked with Holland barefoot through the yard. Before stepping off the porch they had rolled up their nice pants to keep mud off the bottoms as best they could. The ground was rapidly cooling though making the mud harden back up so they only made it to the tree before Holland was rocking from one foot to the other trying to keep the cold from traveling up his legs. "You're such a baby." Matthew teased resisting the urge to do the same as he wrapped his arms around himself and smiled.

"Would it be to forward of me to touch you?" Holland asked looking towards the house and rubbing the back of his head shyly.

"Touch me how?" Matthew asked looking the other man over and looking over the rim of his glasses.

"Nothing naughty." Holland replied looking back at him and flashed his sly smile before it was gone. "Just…hold you. Keep you warm."

Matthew hesitated a moment before he gave a small nod. "Alright." Holland was far gentler then Matthew expected. Everything about the man was made the angel think rough. His height, the scar above his left eyebrow, his large hands, when they fought, his constant aloof attitude. But when he touched Matthew, he was anything but rough. Like he was afraid the angel would spook at any minute and take off running again. Though the thought was indeed in the back of Matthews mind he still felt guilty making the other have to act that way.

Holland wrapped his arms around Matthew and held him close maneuvering them so they were hidden from view of the house behind the tree and he sighed relaxing a little. "Why do you always make such a serious face?" Matthew asked sniffing as his nose started to run from warmth of pressing his face up against the other man's chest.

"Serious?" Holland asked looking down furrowing his eyebrows.

"Yeah. All the time. You are very…not expressive."

Holland paused for a second. "Would you like me to be more expressive?" He asked frowning harder making Matthew laugh and shake his head. "No it's just…my people are very…animated. Everything is a big deal to them and they show it on their faces. In their eyes. Alfred talks a lot with his hands and waves them all over the place and is very loud and eccentric. And Arthur is a very facial person, probably because of his eyebrows. You can always tell how he is feeling about something from his eyebrow placement and Francis is just extravagant about everything and Ivan has hundreds of different smiles that all look polite but can mean anything from pleasure to your pain. And you…well I'm not saying your expressionless." Matthew said quickly and pulling back a little to look up at Holland who was blinking down at him looking mildly confused. "I'm just saying your um expressions are more subtle. It's hard for me to explain." He rushed on feeling heat burning at his cheeks. "You're just not-"

Holland placed a kiss on Matthew's lips to hush him. "I'm not what you are used to. I understand. Something you don't fully comprehend. That's not a bad thing, just something new."

Suddenly Matthew was feeling very warm indeed despite the freezing ground and couldn't seem to look away from amber eyes when he heard someone clear their voice. "I'm sorry to interrupt. But is my brother alright." Matthew jerked away from Holland like they were to teenagers caught behind the bleachers at school his face ten shades of red as he faced Ludwig.

The blond demon's breathing was slightly labored signaling he had rushed in his travels to make it to the safe house. He must have been running the whole way to have made the eleven hour trip in almost half the time. He was wrapped in layers of warm clothing and worry filled his normally calm eyes. "Ludwig." Holland greeted with a nod and a slightly unhappy look. "Gilbert is not wounded..."

"What happened then? I received word that-"

"We were arrested. It was by the Angels of his old life."

Ludwig took a step back like he'd been struck but outside of a widening of his eyes he stayed calm. "What did they do to him?"

Holland shook his head. "I don't know all the details. I didn't actually see him myself but I was told he was forced to watch parts of his old life. Good and bad and he was told that his lovers weren't dead."

The blond man was quiet a moment looking towards the house before looking back at Holland. "He believed them." A statement more than a question.

"He is confused Ludwig. They messed with his mind he is having trouble figuring out what he should and shouldn't believe." The man nodded excepting the facts like a soldier would a mission. There was no use arguing, no use getting overly emotional. "Ja, I understand." He nodded at them both and walked on. Matthew opened his mouth and Holland shook his head silencing him. The demon put a finger to his lips and took Matthew by the hand following after the mind reader. Closer to the house they could hear music. Someone was playing a piano that Matthew had seen in the corner of the living room while they were cleaning. It sounded like someone had tuned the thing.

Stepping into the house again was like walking into a different world then the one that was there while they were eating dinner and everyone was hiding.

Now everyone was out and about talking and laughing and relaxing. Sebastian had a good fire going in the fireplace and was placing a few more logs on to give it some more fuel. Matthew heard him explaining to Ice that the house had no central heating and air so they would have to regulate it as best they could themselves by keeping a fire or opening windows. Su was sitting back on a couch with a tired Tino leaning against him, the smaller man smiling as listened to the piano and his eyes grew heavy. Mathias was grinning, shirt buttoned wrong, talking animatedly with Norge who was speaking back in a much quieter and subdued voice as he ran a hand over his hair to smooth it down. Their 'thank God we're alive lets have sex' session was obviously a success.

Gilbert was off to the side of the room scowling up at Ivan who was holding out a pipe to the Fallen angel trying to explain why it had been leaking in the bathroom and why it was unfixable. Ludwig started towards his brother with a steady even stride as Holland made Matthew pause with him at the entrance of the living room.

"Gilbert." Ludwig called through the room, focused only on his sibling, making the man look up sharply in surprise. The albino hesitated a second before Ivan gave him a gentle nudge with the end of the broken water pipe making the man rush across the room meeting his brother half way. Ludwig put his hands on Gilbert's shoulders as if holding the man at arm's length to make sure there were no outer wounds on him. Matthew supposed hugging would have been too un-masculine because Gilbert lowered his eyes and shook his head like they were speaking without words and Ludwig sighed.

The piano playing stopped when Ludwig and Gilbert had meet in the middle of the room and that's when Matthews's eyes landed on the two at the piano. Feliciano had turned in his seat to look at the blond man who had his back to him. He stood slowly shaking and Francis helped steady him a moment before Feliciano walked towards the demons. Ludwig was speaking softly with Gilbert now trying to convince the man to come home as the tiny brunet Fallen stretched a hand out and left it hovering over Ludwig's back unsure if he should get his attention or flee.

Matthew saw more then heard Feli suck in a sharp breath and place a hand against his head as Romano pushed to surface. He shook stepping back from Ludwig and shaking his head hard as tears started. Francis tried to steady him but Romano pushed his hands away making a strangled noise as he tried to fight his brother back down from taking control as he back up even more crashing into the piano slamming a hand back to steady himself on the keys making everyone jump and face him. "JUST STOP IT!" Feliciano screamed before his free hand came up over his mouth and big scared brown eyes looked up into Ludwig's shocked blue.

The house was quiet minus the crackle of the fire. "Feliciano…" The name was breathed out like he could hardly believe his own eyes.

The little man swallowed hard body shaking from the stress of keeping his brother suppressed. "Ludwig." He replied back shakily. "I missed you."

"No…No they gave me your body. You're dead. I know your dead." Ludwig said shaking his head frowning so hard Matthew was afraid the cresses would forever be imprinted on his forehead.

Feliciano shook his head. "No. I…they…GOD JUST SHUT UP!" He yelled putting his hands over his ears and suddenly his hair darkened and hazel eyes were glaring at the blond demon stepping towards him. "Don't fucking touch me!" He spat making Ludwig stop in surprise.

"What is happening?" he asked looking around to the others for answers.

"I'll tell you what's happening you bastard!" Romano hissed pushing away from the piano and storming towards him despite Francis's soft spoken 'wait Romano'. "They tortured us! For months and you never fucking came. That's all they wanted you know! If you had showed up they would have left us alone. They would have killed you and said that that was punishment enough for Feliciano, but you never fucking came you bastard! Then they ripped Feliciano out of his body! Do you have any idea how he screamed?" Romano shook his head trying to rid himself of the memory and his hands came up to his ears to block out a sound that wasn't there. "It was like a suction cup being pulled off a wall. It was this awful popping sound as it tore him apart right in front of me. They had this machine that held his eye open, but it was cutting him and blood was pouring out of the torn skin coving everything… Then the screaming wouldn't stop. It was otherworldly echoing everywhere in the room but I couldn't even look at that blood and filth covered thing they were calling my brothers soul. All I could look at was my brother lifeless body…and then they were shoving that screaming thing into me and then the screaming was ringing in my head so loud I thought it would explode. But I couldn't hold him. I couldn't comfort him and promise it was going to be alright because nothing was ever going to be alright again…" Romano dropped his hands from his ears and looked at Ludwig again composing himself as best he could. "He cried for you. Prayed to God you didn't come. Thanked the Fucking Lord every night you didn't show." Romano shoved Ludwig with both hands forcing him to stumble back a couple steps. "But I knew it wasn't God keeping you safe. It was your own fucking greed. Did you even wonder why he never came back? How hard was it for you to not have your little angel bed warmer anymore demon? Did you get a new one the next fucking day or did you wait a few days out of respect? We heard what you did to those other angels."

"No." Ludwig said shaking his head eyes wide with shook. "No it wasn't like that. He never told me where he was from. I didn't know where to look. I tried-"

"You know how much you make me want to vomit?" Romano asked advancing again hands clenched in fists. "You make my fucking skin crawl you God damned bastard. MY SKIN Feliciano, you hear me! This is my damn skin you walk around in!" Romano yelled looking down at his own chest to scold his brother. "And if you think for one second I'm going to let you mess with my brothers head again and get him all wrapped up in you like he was before so you can fuck him in my body you're dead wrong. I will kill you first you fucking-ah" Romano's knees buckled and he crumpled to the floor in a mess of tears.

"I'm sorry. I'm so s-sorry." Feliciano cried. "T-they put my soul in Romano's bo-body and gave you my empt-ty one. I'm so sorry." Ludwig didn't move for a moment just stood looking down at the boy before Francis started towards him to help the fallen angel up and Ludwig took two steps forward and knelt down to the floor. Francis backed off quickly and Ludwig lifted Feliciano's face with his much larger hands, cupping it lovingly as he wiped away his tears. "I thought you were dead." He said softly.

"They told me you were too." Feli replied weakly looking completely worn out.

"Holland I-"

"We prepared a room for your stay already." Holland replied smiling. " Upstairs, last door on the left. Perhaps you and Gilbert and Feliciano would like some time to catch up?" The blond demon gently pulled Feliciano into his arms lifting him bridal style so he could rest as he nodded.

"I don't need time to catch up." Gilbert cut in. Ludwig looked like he was going to protest when the other man cut in. "Ivan is explain to me about pipes and it's just plain riveting. I could hardly leave in the middle of such a fantastic conversation." Ludwig made a face that said he could hear the both the sarcasm and fakeness of his brothers statements but Ivan hooked and arm over Gilbert shoulder and flashed a creepy smiled. "He was just about to help me fix my problem actually. I need the extra set of hands on my pipe to get it to go in right. You wouldn't mind if I borrow him would you."

Gilbert looked about ready to claw Ivan's eyes out and Ludwig was looking less convinced than ever as Francis stepped between them eyes raised before they dropped to the floor, hands on his hips in his righteous indignation. "Go be with your lover while he is in control of his host body damn it. You are wasting time. He can't keep Romano down forever and you have a lot to catch up on."

Ludwig paused at that and Feli lowered his head like he felt shame about his situation. Francis wasn't up in Ludwig's face like he would normally be with someone he thought was doing something stupid relationship wise. The Frenchman stood a good five paces away glaring holes into the floor instead of into Ludwig's head, but it wasn't until Ludwig took a step forward and Francis gave the slightest of flinches that Matthew realized something was off.

"Alright." Ludwig said softly pulling Feli closer to his chest like he could protect them man form all the eyes on them. The demon turned away sharply heading for the stairs before pausing. "A word with you later Francis?" He asked.

"Oui, Later. Now go and comfort your lover. We will come running should we heard Romano come back out."

~!#$%^&*()_~!#$%^&*()_+

Hours later after everyone had tired and retreated to their bedrooms Matthew was brushing out his hair at the edge of the bed thinking hard as Holland climbed in on the opposite side like he always did. "What are you thinking about?"

"Things aren't right." Matthew said shaking his head and pulling his glasses off setting them on the bedside table.

Holland frowned rubbing the back of his head. He was naked. He always slept naked but Matthew was having a harder time trying not to sneak a peek this time. "What do you mean things aren't right?"

"With Ivan and Gilbert for starters." Matthew replied standing and putting his brush away in the bathroom as he washed his face and came back into the room standing at the edge of the bed as Holland watched him expectantly to continue. "They were…close before Gilbert was arrested. Now Gil can hardly stand to be around him."

"He feels like he is cheating on his past lovers." Holland replied stretching with a yawn as he spread out on the bed giving Matthew more to try and discreetly ogle.

"Well and then there is Ice who is completely not ok with his brother relationship." Matthew pushed on. "And poor Mathias just wants Norge to show he cares but the man just can't seem to do it."

Holland frowned. "It's always been like that. And 'poor Mathias' is crazy so Norge is never going to open up to him."

"But they are in love!" Matthew insisted before shaking his head and holding up his hand to tell Holland to be quiet. "What about Ludwig and Feliciano? Is that not the worst thing in the whole world! How could his brother be so hateful? And what about Francis?"

"One, You're being unfair because you were that hateful just barely a month and a half ago. Back then you would have stabbed out your own eye before even looking at a demon the way Feliciano looks at Ludwig. Now imagine being forced to look at a demon like that and not being able to do a damn thing about it. Two, why are we talking about everyone's love problems? And Three, what does Francis have to do with anything?"

"Ok one, I will agree that you are right on that one I didn't think it through and I should be more understanding about Romano's situation too. Two, I think we should try and help everyone! They are obviously trying to get us together.-"

"How are they doing? Do I need to tell them to step up their game?" Holland asked giving a brief smile.

"They are doing wonderfully." Matthew replied smiling back shly before holding up a third finger. "Ok and Three, stop distracting me, I think there is something wrong between Ludwig and Francis."

Holland was quiet a second. "Matthew I agree with you about helping the others. We can try and assistance them all romantically, but the Francis thing…you should leave it alone."

Matthew frowned at that leaning with more pressure on one hip then the other. "There is a thing then…and you know about it."

"Lots of people know about it Matthew. The point of the matter is its better off left alone. It was a long time ago." Holland said shaking his head and patting the bed to tempt Matthew to join him.

"You are kinda forward there Holland. We have only been on one date and everything." Matthew said pretending to be coy making Holland smile again as he climbed into bed before pressing on. "Listen, Francis is my friend I need to know-"

"If he wanted you to know don't you think he would have told you?" Matthew paused at that looking struck. Why would Francis hid something from him? Holland sighed. "Matthew…Francis and Ludwig were…together for a while. After Ludwig thought Feliciano was dead, but it didn't end well between them. It was a long time ago though and that's all I am telling you."

Matthew frowned at that but nodded. "Alright."

"How about we get started on the others in the morning?" Holland asked trying to lighten the mood as he wrapped and arm around Matthew and pulled him close.

"I would like that." Matthew said before pausing feeling something pressing into his back. "Holland…"

"I can't help it." He said smiling widely. "I tried to convince it I just wanted to cuddle and it still acts up. My penis is a dick. Don't worry I will behave."

Matthew snorted a laugh at that and Holland chuckled too. "Mine does it too sometimes at the worst moments for the strangest things. It's so embarrassing." Holland laughed outright at that. "Like what?"

"Like when I see your fangs." Matthew whispered back.

Holland buried his face into Matthews back relaxing. "You're too cute…Goodnight little angel." He whispered. "Try and keep your man in line. Lord knows what we will do if they both misbehave." He said teasingly giving Matthew's rump a light hump, hoping he wasn't pushing his luck.

The angel hesitated a second, face burning before he forced his body to relax and wiggled back a little making Holland suck in a sharp breath. "Goodnight Holland." He could feel the man smiling against his back and decided that maybe dating a demon wouldn't be so bad after all.

Review?


	28. rough

Gilbert glared down at Ivan from astride his waist.

"You do not have to stay in my room comrade." Ivan said softly hands gripping the other's hips as if he wanted to keep him there despite his words.

"Where else would you have me be? Go cry in bed with my baby brother when he has just been reunited with someone he thought was dead?" Gilbert asked scoffing like Ivan was an idiot.

"Holland-"

"Is trying to bump uglies with his own personal little ball of sunshine. I'm not bothering him with my own problems."

Ivan frowned and his hands tightened a little. "Mathias could-"

"Norge was sneaking into that crazy bastard's room when I was on my way into your room. They fuck so rarely I'm not going to interrupt that." Gilbert waved him off, eyes trailing over the room taking it all in half bored with the angel below him already. "Su was with Tino before you ask and the kid was beat so that was out. Would you have liked me to go curl up with Ice? I'm sure we could have cried over things neither of us can accept and it would have been just lovely."

Ivan blinked at that shaking his head and sighing. "Francis then?"

"Frany has his own deep seeded issues to sort through tonight and asked me to leave him alone while we were all still down stairs. There was no way I would get sympathy from him."

"Sebastian?"

Gilbert was quiet a moment focusing on the wall before looking back down at Ivan. "He's attractive. I could stay with Sebastian tonight if you don't want me? Would you like to watch? I'm sure he would fuck me just as good as you do. Hell he's a shape shifter maybe if I bat my eyes and pout my lips he will be Roderich for me or even Elizabeth."

Ivan snarled his hands tightening painfully on Gilberts hips before he flipped them and trapped Gilbert below him. "Do you speak crassly to annoy me or to make yourself feel better?"

"Move." Gilbert demanded shadows licking up from the corner of the room ready to pull him into the safety of their darkness at any second. Suddenly Ivan's hand was around Gilbert's neck pinning him to the bed making him unable to flee.

"You tempt me Gilbert. You come to me like you do, vulgar and wanting sin. Trying to get me to fuck you raw and I will not do it. I am not here to be your toy for when you need me."

"You're like them you know." The albino replied softly. The hand around his throat tightened a little and Ivan's wings flapped once in annoyance but he knew Gilbert could still breathe. "Down stairs when I annoy you and I do things you don't like, you are polite, like Roderich would have been. But up here when we are alone you are like her. My Eliza. Rough, not taking any of my shit."

"I am not them Gilbert. I will never be them." Ivan said shaking his head and Gilbert closed his eyes flinging and arm over them before he spoke again.

"I know…You are my wall. That is why I am here and not in anyone else's room."

Ivan's hand tightened a little more. "I am not something to be used and thrown away you know.  
>I am not your toy."<p>

"When I am with you I can block everything else out damn it!" Gilbert hissed clawing at Ivan's hand trying to force him away. "I can block out Ludwig like I never met him. I can block out being a demon or being an angel or being a fallen. I can block out Roderich and Elizabeth better than I have ever been able to when I am with you and I need that! I need to forget for just a few damn hours while you're ramming you dick in my ass!"

Ivan didn't move his hand but loosened his hold while he was quiet a moment. "I am a wall that cuts you off from everyone else…I'm not sure if I should be elated at such a high honor or disturbed that you want it."

"Fuck off. You're not my shrink." Gilbert snapped.

"No but you need one comrade. You are not all there in the head I think." Ivan replied petting Gilberts cheek with the back of his knuckles on his free hand.

"Everyone enjoys fucking a 'crazy' every now and then it adds spice to the bedroom."

The large man sighed and his hand tightened and he leaned forward. "This last time Comrade that I am going to help you forget for a little while. Even though I know in the morning you are going to skulk from my room with your tail between your legs wondering why you did it again and leave me wondering why I let you use me." Gilbert opened his mouth and the hand tightened again as Ivan growled. "Shut up. In the morning, after you have scurried off and have resorted back to glaring at me and wishing I was dead, I am going to come and I am going to drag you kicking and screaming back to my room where we are going to have a little chat about how this relationship is going to work. No more Gilbert gets his fill and leaves. No more Ivan or them. No more separate life understood."

"Fuck you."

"I plan on fucking you do not worry chertovskii paren. (devils boy) But you are hungry, let us start with your feeding."

Using one hand Ivan wiggled his way out of his shirt, releasing the demon below him only to toss the top to the side. "I'm not hungry." Gilbert protested shoving at Ivan's hand that clamped back down around his neck. "Don't make me feed again."

"Shh. You complain too much about things you need." Ivan pulled a feather from his wing and drew the sharp tip across his chest making blood well up like it would with a paper cut. "If you don't eat those mangled angel wings you carry around will never heal." Ivan watched as Gilberts eyes dilated and he started to produce excess saliva unable to tear his eyes away as the blood he desired started to look like it was going to drip. It wasn't until his breathing speed up and his nose flared scenting the body fluid he so craved that he made a whimpering noise and Ivan freed him.

Gilbert latched onto the offered chest digging his teeth in above the already sliced skin sucking down as much as he could. He was starving. Famished. He knew it much be wrong but the instant the life blood coated his stomach the hunger pains that constantly plagued him died down to almost nothing.

Ivan chuckled petting the back of the shadow demons head. "And they say I am a glutton." He teased making Gilbert growl in response. The lager man worked his hands under Gilberts body jerking his top up exposing his pale body before tugging up twice at his chin to tell him to move back so he could get it over his head. When the demon refused to move Ivan sighed before gripping him by the nap of his neck and forcing him to let go so he could remove the shirt in his way.

Gilbert snapped at Ivan making the angel laugh gripping a little tighter. "You are ornery comrade."

"You're a bastard. Don't offer me food and then take it away." Gilbert shot back.

"I am not food. I am your partner there is a difference. Food is to be fully devoured. I, on the other hand, get light headed when you drink so fast trying to devour me." Ivan chided.

Gilbert blinked as if just realizing that though the other man was big, he was still susceptible to excessive blood lose and the he had been feeding off him for days now. Or was it weeks. Little bright white healing teeth marks covered the man's body showing off every time Gilbert gave into his blood lust and feasted on Ivan. And the angel took it without complaint.

"I'm sor-"

Ivan kissed him into silence before he pulled back and shook his head. "Don't be." The large angel worked at Gilbert's pants trying to free him of their confines. When he couldn't he made a growling sound and jerked them down Gilberts slim hips without unclasping them.

"Hey!"

"I hate your pants." The angel replied back shrugging as he threw them haphazardly off the bed before nuzzling Gilbert's belly. The demon shoved at his head face heating up as he tried to get the larger man to move away. "Stop it-ah!" He had not been expecting Ivan to take his manhood into his mouth. "Oh Jesus." Gilberts once pushing hands were now wound in Ivan's silver hair gripping tighter then was probably comfortable for the other man as he worked at the length Gilbert had to offer.

""I-Ivan!"

The angel sucked harder. He lapped at the tip and pulled back popping it from his mouth dramatically before starting in on it again. He gripped Gilbert at his base letting saliva build up in his mouth to help aid in his work taking a few bobs letting his lips meet his knuckles. Once Ivan deemed Gilberts manhood slick enough he started to pump his fist sucking at the tip lapping his tongue over the slit in the top making Gilberts hips buck up. "A-ah!"

Ivan smiled around the cock and gripped the shadow demons thin pale hip to keep him still. The angel worked his mouth up and down in a faster rhythm before he moved his hand completely and sucked Gilbert down the back of his throat. "Oh G-god! IVAN!" He growled in frustrating gripping harder at the man's hair jerking him up off the tender flesh. "You're supposed to ogle it first before you just dive down on it!" He snapped. "Make wide eyes and be enthralled with my piece. Think about how silky smooth it is while you rub it a little damn it! Warm me up first then you can put your mouth on it! Don't you know anything about dick suck etiquette!"

Ivan blinked innocently. "But you enjoyed it Da?"

"Yeah if I wanted to cum in thirty seconds maybe, Jesus, don't you know anything?" The demon was flushed in the face struggling to get his breathing under control making Ivan smile at him. "I thought cumming was the goal."

"Now you're just fucking with me aren't you?" Ivan nuzzled Gilbert's hip dangerously close to the man's privates making him jerk involuntarily.

"Did they suck you off?" he asked laying his head down on the boney hip.

"I don't remember." Gilbert snapped jerking at Ivan's hair to get him to look back up. "The point of you being a 'wall' is not to bring them up."

"I want my name on your body somewhere like you have theirs." Ivan persisted making Gilbert snarl bearing teeth. "Stop it!"

Ivan's hand cupped Gilbert where he was most sensitive and gripped making the smaller man grit his teeth before his hold loosened and he started to massage gently. "Your dick is wet. Covered in my saliva and all you want to do is bitch that I am doing it to fast, when I can't get you to slow down worth a damn when you ride my cock. Why is sex with you always about what you want?" Gilberts head fell back as Ivan fondled him, groaning at the contact. "Let me tell you how this is going to work. I am going to suck you at my pace. Then I am going to fuck you at my pace. Then we are staying in bed together and when I wake up in the middle of the night I am going to do it all over again. And if I wake up and you're not here…" His grip tightened making Gilbert let out a startled sound. "I am going to find where you went and fuck you there. I don't care who your with or where you at or who watches. Am I making myself clear?"

"You're an asshole!" Gilbert snapped making Ivan smiled before the man went back to work on his genitals.

Ivan worked his mouth on Gilbert till the demon was panting and crying out on the edge of cumming before he pulled back and shoved the man's legs up to his chest.

Gilbert's first instinct was to hide his sex jerking his legs closed even if he couldn't put them down. The large angel shook his head working down his pants with one hand before kicking them off and digging around in the bed side table holding the demons legs up the whole time. "It will make your hole tighter doing it that way. Not that I mind but it's not the best starting position for you. It will be more painful." He straightened and pried Gilberts pale thighs apart smiling at the nervous red eyes looking up at him. "Keep them spread. Let me look at you."

Gilbert felt too exposed. Too open with his legs spread wide and Ivan eating up the view of his most private spots. From pert pink nipples down to the pucker of his entrance the angels purple eyes left no part unexamined before looking back up at Gilberts face. "Hold your legs up. There you go." Ivan lead Gilberts own hands around his thighs so he could keep his limbs out of the way. The cool feeling of lube being dripped onto his ass made Gilbert jerk not helping slow the pounding in his chest. Ivan's large fingers joined the slicking solution rubbing teasingly from the bottom of gilberts tightening sac to his entrance rubbing soothing circles trying to tempt his sphincter to relax.

"You have never actually been below me before…you ride, very in control. Is that why you're so nervous? Have you never been on your back for someone before?" Ivan asked and Gilbert jerked when he felt Ivan's slick member tap where his fingers had been.

"I don't know." Gilbert snapped fingers tightening around his own skin as his heart picked up pace again. "Being on bottom is a submissive position. It just rubs me wrong."

"Are you afraid of me?" Gilbert grit his teeth as Ivan pushed his tip in slowly. The wide head stretching his insides uncomfortably before Ivan pushed in a little more past the mushroom giving Gilbert a second to breathe again and get out his answer.

"Yes. Slow down!" Gilberts fingers were digging in to his own legs making little shocks of pain shoot threw his nerves, though not enough to distract him from Ivan's rather large intrusion.

Ivan placed his hands over Gilberts, soothing out his fingers so he wasn't cutting himself anymore and giving himself more control over their fornication. "Relax."

"Don't tell me to relax!"

Ivan sighed heavily before snapping his hips forward while leaning heavily on Gilbert's legs so he wasn't bucked off as the demon screamed. "Bastard!" Gilbert snarled through grit teeth as his body grew used to the other man. "If you won't listen what would you have me do?" Ivan snapped back.

They sat still glaring death at each other before Gilbert pushed up. "Move or get out."

Ivan shook his head again before pulling almost all the way out and slowly pushing back in. He did this a few times reveling in the others warmth and how snug he was clamped down upon inside the smaller male. "You're perfect. Ah God. You feel so good."

"Fuck me Ivan. Come on! Stop messing around." Gilbert insisted trying to jerk his own hips in a faster manner before Ivan pushed down on his legs harder to keep him still.

"My pace." He replied opening eyes he hadn't remembered closing before smiling widely. Gilbert jerked his hands out from under Ivan's throwing one over his eyes like he couldn't bear watching any more the other went up above his head.

Ivan's jaw tightened at the others flippant attitude but didn't let it change his stride. He moved slowly in and out relishing in the feeling before he slid his hands up and down Gilberts legs leisurely watching the muscle dance and twitch under his fingers. Gently Ivan hooked his hands up under Gilbert's knees pushing his legs up higher changing his own angle in the slightest bit before he slammed back inside and Gilbert let out an 'Ahh.'

He did it again slowly dragging himself out and shoving back inside hitting that bundle of nerves that would he knew would drive the other man to come undone. By the third thrust Gilbert had his hand wrapped around the head board and his teeth digging into his arm trying to block out the moans he was making. Ivan placed a kiss on the demons calf chuckling at his stubbornness.

Ivan grunted when Gilberts inner walls spammed once his body starting to tremor as orgasm neared. Ivan lost count of his thrusting by the time Gilbert freed his arm from his mouth and was desperately reaching for his own weeping prick to help himself get release. Ivan smacked his hand away and gripped the member himself. He tugged in time with his own thrusts and Gilberts moans were turning to desperate begs as he arched his hips to meet each lagged rock of Ivan's own.

"Please! Don't stop, please!" Beautiful red eyes opened meeting Ivan's own purple. "Ivan please."

His own legs shaking, Ivan released, coating Gilberts insides giving the demons member a few more good pumps before he made the most erotic moan letting his own orgasm rock him. Gilbert's insides seemed to milk Ivan's already sensitive prick of the last of his semen as they sat still locked together shaking.

Ivan slowly let Gilbert's legs down first before he groaned pulling out and laying half atop the other man. Sleep was coming for him, not surprising as that orgasm had him seeing stars but he didn't want to sleep yet. "Gil-"

"Go to sleep." Gilbert replied softly. "We will talk when we wake up." With the other man's approval Ivan dropped off into slumber.

Gilbert waited fifteen minutes before slipping out from the much larger angel and leaving the room.

~!#$%^&*()~!#$%^&*()_+

Ludwig looked down at the sleeping man in his room.

Feliciano.

He had thought the man was dead.

No, he knew the man was dead. He'd felt the pain of the loss of his partner through their bond. He'd held his cold dead corpse in his arms.. He'd cried for him. Mourned for him. Cursed Heaven and Hell for him.

He'd looked everywhere when Feliciano hadn't come back. High and low. He'd asked every angel he came in contact with and every demon he thought could help and even those he knew couldn't. He'd begged Gilbert to remember the way to his old home. Cursed his brother when the man refused to even try.

Ludwig knew he was being unfair. Those angels tortured Gilbert, killed his lovers and rejected him. The Fallen couldn't remember the way back or even where to look and adamantly refused to show Ludwig even if he did. He'd said that those people would do awful things to Ludwig if they could, just for the fun of it. After time Ludwig came to forgive Gilbert. It took years. But he had.

He'd even managed to take on a new lover after he'd learned of Feliciano's demise. It had taken him nearly a decade, but Francis had been persistent in his flirtations at every meeting they attended together. The blond angel had insisted that he would not disappear and that no one would care what he did in his spare time.

Their time spent together had been intense. Ludwig came to find that Francis, though happy and bubble on the outside, had an exponential amount of pent up passion he was dying to dedicate to someone.

Anyone.

He needed to be needed by someone and Ludwig had needed someone to need. Even Gilbert seemed to approve of their relationship.

They worked well together. Francis made Ludwig lossen up in a way he hadn't since losing Feliciano.

But that was before.

Before he had fucked up.

Before he'd lost his mind.

What made it worse was Francis had been willing to forgive him. Had in fact begged him not to break things off.

But he'd had to.

He was not well.

He was sick in the head and the fact that in his mind, while Francis's heart breaking begs filled his ears, all he wanted to do was hit the sobbing angel again was what made him leave. He couldn't do that.

Not to Francis.

Not again.

Ludwig sighed rubbing the back of his head standing up. He'd told Francis he would speak with him in the hall when everyone had retired for the night and they had. He didn't want to. They hadn't seen each other in years. Not since the day Ludwig had put an end to their relationship.

Ludwig reminded himself again as he made his way down the hall that this had to be done. He had to speak to Francis in private if things were to go well while they stayed in the house together, short time as that may be.

"Ludwig." The man's soft voice sent a shiver down his spine.

"Francis." He greeted. The angel had his wings tucked tightly against his back. Ludwig remembered how beautiful they were when fully stretched out. The cream colored appendages were shorter then Matthew and Ivan's floor length ones, but worked just as well. Francis wings only reached to about the top of his ass but the length was astronomical, almost double that of his friends larger sets.

The angels blue eyes glanced at Ludwig before darting back to the floor. He licked his lips and Ludwig had to remind himself he shouldn't watch such things so closely. "Can we talk in my room?" Francis asked.

"No." Ludwig replied shaking his head. He couldn't chance going into Francis's room. The man was too good at batting his eyes, at everything that had to do with sex, at making Ludwig want him. He couldn't chance falling into that again. Not with Feliciano back.

Francis flinched at the single sharp word but nodded refusing to take his eyes off the ground as he smoothed down his shirt. "You never came back."

Ludwig frowned at that and went to open his mouth when Francis looked up at him with those big blue eyes full of pain stopping him dead in his tracks. "You got better and you never came back to me. I always thought…when you got well you would and now Feli-"

"Don't talk about him." The words came out far harsher then he'd intended and he regretted it almost instantly because Francis jerked back and lowered his head hiding his eyes again. Ludwig sighed softly and stepped forward raising Francis chin so they were looking at one another. "Even if Feliciano never came back we would have never have been able to be together."

"Why?" The single word was heart breaking. The tears made it ten times worse. Francis was one of those people. The ones who loved someone with one hundred percent of themselves. Who would give the person they were with anything to make them happy. Who would do anything to please their partner. Francis gave himself over completely, so much so that every time a relationship ended it damn near broke him. He couldn't grasp it. Couldn't understand what he'd done wrong to make things fail and would dedicate himself that much more to the next person to try and keep it from happening again. Even when the people he was with didn't deserve it.

"Because every time I see you all I can think about is that night-"

"I don't care about that though!" Francis cut in and Ludwig shook his head lowering his voice more to try and keep Francis quiet. "Even if you can forgive me I can never forgive myself. All I see when I look at you is how black and blue you were. How before I'd beaten you I took you so roughly that you'd bled." Ludwig had to pause and swallow forcing down the lump in his throat. "How you had cried..."

Francis was crying again and shaking forcing Ludwig to grip the man's upper arms to keep him steady. "It was for the best."

"I love you. I love you even though you beat me and hurt me and burned my house to the ground I love you." The blond was shaking his head trying to deny what he was hearing.

"You deserve better than that Francis!" Ludwig gave him a slight shake. "You are a good man and you let yourself be treated like shit!"

"But you don't want me." Francis snapped back. "How can you in one breath say you won't be with me and the next say I deserve better. I don't want better damn it! I don't want more! I know it's selfish, but I just want you! I want you to love me."

"Francis…Fran. It's not me you want to love you. It's anyone. You just want to be loved like you love others and I don't blame you, but that person cannot be me."

"That's what you wanted to talk to me about then?" Francis asked jerking away and wiping furiously at his traitorous eyes that continued to leak. "Don't want me to mess up what you have with Feliciano? Had to settle things with me? Well don't worry about it. I'll just be somebody that you used to know."

Ludwig clenched his hands into fists cursing himself before he grabbed Francis's arm and jerked him around to face him and sealed their lips together. The moment felt so right and so wrong at the same time that Ludwig could feel the headache starting to move in from the conundrum before they even pulled apart.

"I loved you. You know I did. But my heart has always belonged to Feliciano and you knew this even when we were together. Please don't make this any worse than it already is." Francis was looking at him shocked before slipping out of his grasp. He didn't say another word as he slid into his room and shut the door keeping Ludwig from seeing him but not keeping the demons ears from hearing the heart breaking sobs the followed.

Ludwig tried to count to ten to calm himself down from all the pent up emotion.

He made it to three before he punched the wall.

Review?


	29. Brother

Matthew blinked his eyes open and yawned as he looked around the room. Holland was stretched across his half of the bed and part of Matthews. The angel smiled at that and sat up slowly rubbing at his eyes and then stretching before putting on his glasses. He took a second to listen tilting his head towards the door. Almost everyone was asleep still but two people were down stairs.

Matthew glanced at the window as he slipped out of bed putting a pillow in his spot against Holland's side so he wouldn't wake the other man by leaving. Early morning air nipped at his bare feet as he snuck out of his room and down the hall. The too large t-shirt he'd worn to bed hung a little ways above his knees but still covered him modestly enough incase in an off chance it was one of the demons up this early.

Making his way down the stairs Matthew spotted Francis and Gilbert on the couch together in front of the dying fire. Francis had a cup of what smelled like coffee in his hand while the other played slowly threw Gilberts hair. The Fallen was half dozing with his head on Francis's lap. Neither one looked happy.

Matthew sat kitty-corner to them in the loveseat looking them over before speaking. "Francis-"

"I'm leaving." The blond spoke up cutting Matthew off making purple eyes go wide.

"W-what but…why?" Gilbert didn't seem particularly surprised by the announcement though he was looking up at Francis's face as if trying to gauge something Matthew couldn't see.

"I was only here to see the living situation you were in and see what needed to be done before I went back home. Due to several factors I think its best you stay with Holland for the-"

"What? You're giving me away?" Matthew felt like his head was spinning. Sure he wanted to stay with Holland…but to give no compensation to Holland for Matthew entering the demon's lands he would never be able to leave. Never be able to go home without Holland's permission.

Francis looked at him sharply. "I am giving you freedom." He snapped in a way that was so unlike him that Matthew flinched back. "What do you think would happen if I took you back with me and your darling brother saw that mark of yours? You think that dim wit would let you come back weather you wanted to or not? No he would make it so you were always away on missions, never able to go near Holland again. Is that what you want?"

"I-"

"Think for once boy. I would never leave you somewhere I didn't think was safe and if things don't work out I can always come back for you and barter for you again so stop whining and thank me."

Matthew stayed quiet looking Francis over while the man refused to meet the younger angels eyes. "What happened?" He asked softly tempted to look over the rim on his glasses into the Frenchman's soul.

"Nothing."

"Do you want me to kick his ass?' Gilbert spoke up and Francis actually chuckled relaxing back against the couch.

"No mon cher, it was I who made a fool of myself it wasn't his fault."

"Kick who's ass?" Matthew asked narrowing his eyes at the two who sat so casually together.

"No one" Francis said waving his coffee cup in the air in a dismissive manner.

"Ludwig." Gilbert replied with angry looking red eyes.

Matthew blinked at that Francis sighed. "You should mind your own business." He directed at the albino on his lap. "I don't butt into you obviously mismanaged situation with Ivan now do I?"

"Leave Ivan out of it. At least he doesn't go around kissing me when he's obviously dedicated to someone else." Gilbert shot back defensively.

Francis slowly set his coffee against before he stood up dumping the demon on the floor and placing a foot against his chest. "Shut up."

"What are you gonna do Franny? Fight me? You've never won a thing in your whole damn life." Gilbert hissed at him shoving at the foot pinning him down. "What makes you think you can win against me?"

"What the hell is going on!" Matthew yelled standing up in surprise watching his two friends get dangerously close to throwing punches.

Francis slowly moved his foot away and Gilbert sat up rubbing at his chest. "What do I do Gilbert…what can I do but leave?" The albino sighed and ran a hand threw his hair shaking his head. "I don't even blame him and that's what makes it worse." Francis swallowed hard dropping down back into his seat. "I knew I was second to Feliciano. I always knew even when Ludwig thought the boy was dead that I was second to him."

"You dated Ludwig?" Matthew asked softly. "But…but he-" Images filled Matthews mind of the beaten and battered Frenchman laying passed out in his front yard his house burning to the ground. "No I was sent to kill him because of what he did…what he did to you and all the others. How could he do that to you if-"

"Ludwig was sick then Matthew." Francis replied tiredly leaning his head back so it was resting on the couch letting him stare at the ceiling. "Sick in the mind. Sick in the body. sick in the soul. I have never blamed him for that."

"He tried to kill you!" Matthew yelled.

Francis chuckled at that. "No mon cher. If he had wanted to kill me I'd have been dead…"

"Were you the one?" A voice on the stairs startled them all into looking up. Feliciano looked down at them nervously tugging at Ludwig's undershirt that he was wearing. Due to the shortness of the undershirt it was easy to tell the Italian was bare underneath and the lack of wrinkles in the cloth gave away the fact that it was pulled after he'd woken up and hadn't worn it to bed.

The thin boy licked his lips and sat on the stairs looking through the bars at the three men in the living room. "Were you the one Adam told me about…that was with Ludie after I was gone."

Francis was quiet a moment looking at the anxious brown eyes peering back at him through the slots of the railing. "Yes."

Feliciano swallowed hard and made a soft noise like a whine before he spoke up again. "Do you wish I was dead?" He asked.

Francis blinked at that. "Dead?" He parroted pushing himself up out of his chair walking slowly towards the stairs frowning. Big brown eyes looked at Francis evenly as he came around the stairs so they were looking at each other straight on. Feliciano was kneeling on the steps half pivoted towards Francis and half towards the bars he'd just been peeking through.

'The man who owned Ludwig's heart'. Francis thought looking at fallen angel. 'The man who's disappearance and 'death' left such a deep impression on Ludwig's soul that the man would forever care about him first. The man who was always in his way every time he had tried to make progress in his relationship with Ludwig. The man who wrecked his life with Ludwig before it even had a chance to truly bloom. Who looked as innocent as a dove.' Francis slipped slowly to his knees on the bottom step and sucked in a breath past the lump in his throat. "No. God no. I don't wish you were dead mon chue." (my darling)

Faliciano bit his lip and looked away. "Adam said…" He paused to swallow hard. "He said Ludwig did awful things to you."

Francis let out a high pitched panicked sound that was supposed to be a laugh eyes wide as he shook his head quickly. "No. No. It wasn't like that I…I knew he was getting sick. I saw the signs. It was my-my fault. I should have…done something. I should have done something to help him before he got to that point. It was my fault because of the things I was thinking and" The Frenchman cut off when a hand gently touched his head. The hand slid down the side of his face making him look up from the spot on the stairs he was staring as fat thick tears poured from his baby blues.

"It wasn't your fault." Romano said softly squatting down before him and frowning weakly. "Your thoughts are meant to be your own. They are just thoughts. That bastard had no right to do what he did to you." Francis swallowed hard at that and Romano looked away, hazel eyes looking over Gilbert and Matthew who stood awkwardly to the side before he spoke again. "So don't…don't care so much about people like him. Someone who's heart is already taken. Give yourself over to someone who's going to care just as much about you as you do about them."

"Ludwig loves him…your brother." Francis said catching ahold of Romano's hand as he stood up. "Give them a chance." Romano opened his mouth to speak before he lowered his head and shook it as punding started on the front door.

"Mattie are you in there!"

"Oh God, its Alfred." Matthew said in shock.

"Go upstairs. Now." Francis said releasing Romano who scowled at him but glanced warily at the door weighing his pros and cons of putting up a fight before he scurried up the stairs. "Gilbert, go wake Ivan." Francis directed coming around the side of the stairs back into the living room.

"You have got to be joking." Gilbert snapped back. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Matthew? Are you still here?" Alfred yelled again from the other side of the door.

"Oh for the love of God, just don't argue this one time!" Matthew begged dragging the albino towards the stairs. The front door splintered inwards making a shockingly loud sound echo through the house making Matthew jump jerking around to face his brother.

Alfred walked two steps into the house hands on his hips. Matthew spotted the gun on his hip and had to resist the urge to pull Gilbert behind him for protection. The bastard wouldn't have stayed there anyway.

Alfred looked exactly the way Matthew remembered him. All grins from ear to ear and stunningly handsome. Alfred could charm anyone with the simplest of smiles. Matthew wasn't sure what he'd been expecting to feel when he saw his twin again but the worry that filled him with his siblings presence wasn't the top on his list though it was filling him now.

"Alfred?" He breathed out the name drawing the man's stunning baby blues to him.

"Oh Mattie!" he said happily striding across the room with confidence Matthew couldn't even pretend he possessed a quarter of. How easy life was when everyone sees you. He thought, not bitterly but longingly as he was pulled into Alfred's arms. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh Matt! When I realized you were missing I was just going crazy sitting at home worried! Then when Francis never came back I just couldn't stand it anymore. God only knows what these animals were doing to you." His brother waved his hand towards the top of the stairs flippantly not even bothering to look properly at the demons gathering there.

Matthew looked up and felt heat spread across his face as shame suddenly filled him. A few of the demons had risen at the sound of the door being kicked in and had come to examine what was causing the disturbance. Sebastian in his small form was looking down at them with his calculating too human blue eyes a frown fixed firmly on his face. Su stood close to Tino and Ice the three of them looking down at Matthew with varying ranges of worry in their eyes. They were worried for him and Alfred had called them animals. "Alfred they're not-"

"What took you so long Francis!" Alfred demanded ignoring Matthew as he held him at arm's length, head turned to glare at the Frenchman. "You have been gone for like five days or something."

"Things came up." Francis replied not looking pleased at all. "I was about to be on my way back today." Alfred scoffed at that. "How long does it take to work out a deal to bring Matthew home? That should have been your only focus."

"We had to stop a demon riot." The older blond pressed on arms crossed over his chest.

"That sounds like their problem not yours." Alfred snapped back.

"Alfred." Matthew said softly head lowered.

"Really what is wrong with yours and Ivan's judgment?"

"Alfred."

"There is nothing wrong with my judgment comrade. Why are you here?" Ivan started his way down the stairs, demons stepping aside to let him pass. "You should be upstairs Gilbert." The angel said eyes only for the smaller albino.

"I'm not-"

"Holy shit!" Alfred grabbed ahold of Gilberts arm jerking him around to face forward. He'd been ignoring the other on account of him being a demon but something seemed to click in Alfred's single minded head. "This is that Fallen who escaped from the Angel realm not far from here!" Blue eyes glanced up at the other demons on the stairs before they darkened with a new mission. "They all are…" He breathed before speaking up grip tightening on Gilberts arm and taking the first step towards them. "You are all under arrest for-"

"ALFRED!" Matthew screamed finally drawing the man's attention. All he could think about was Gilbert losing it. About all of them being separated again. He couldn't let that happen. Not to them. Not to his friends. He took a menacing step forward and Alfred took a hesitant step back. "Mattie?"

He could see Holland in his minds eyes sleeping naked as the day he was born in their shared bed. Those little white scars of his healing wounds from the last time they had been arrested. Matthew would never let that happen again. Not just because some angel thought they were right.

"Let Gilbert go Alfred." Matthew said lowly and not to his surprise Alfred frowned and tightened his grip. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Norge join the growing crowd above.

"They are criminals."

Matthew took another step forward hardly containing his growl of anger threw clenched teeth. "They." He said softly looking over the rim of his glasses at Alfred. "Are. Mine."

"Yours?" Alfred squawked with laughter. "What have they done to you Matt? They have really messed with your head."

"Matthew." Francis begged weakly trying to dissuade his growing anger to no avail.

"Release Gilbert. Now Or I'll-"

"Or you'll what?" the short haired blond asked eyes narrowed hand tightening even more making Gilbert let out a half growling half whining noise.

Matthew wasn't sure what happened but all the years of pent up frustration at his brother for never seeing him. For always being the better one. For always being so ALFRED just snapped and he launched himself forward tackling his brother to the ground right as Ivan was ripping Gilbert from the other blonds grasp. They hit the floor with a thump that rattled the walls and Matthew was astride his brother had his fist pulled back before he could stop himself. "You." The first hit landed blooming fire threw Matthews first. "Are." The second punch landed and would have made him wince under other circumstances. "Such." The pain radiated up his arm. "A." His knuckle spit open leaving blood on his brother cheek. "Bastard." Matthew was pulling his first back for a sixth hit when Alfred finally reacted back and wailed him one right across the face sending him reeling to the side off his perch. His brother always hit harder than him. He thought groaning in pain as he sat up rubbing his cheek.

Sky blue eyes were glaring at him and he glared right back as he forced himself to his feet along with his brother. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Alfred snarled.

"What is wrong with you!" Matthew snapped back. They were yelling. He thought embarrassedly. Everyone was up now. He could see Mathias, Ludwig, and Holland's large frames behind the smaller demons looking down at them. "You just show up here and act like you know everything. Like you control everything. You don't damn it!"

"Seriously Matthew what did they do to you? You're acting like you give a shit about demons. DEMONS Mattie!" Alfred wiped blood away from his mouth as Francis edged towards them nervously.

"I do give a shit! These are my demons. MINE Alfred! So get out!"

"You're acting like one of those bitten demon sluts Matthew!" Alfred growled.

Matthew threw his head back and laughed before jerking up the edge of his shirt and down on the side of the boxers underneath. "I AM one of the 'bitten demon sluts' brother." He heard Holland chocked shocked sound from the stairs and something inside him was immensely please he could shook the man.

Review?


	30. argue

The house was silent for a second. Alfred's face lite up red and looking seven shades of pissed off. "Who did that to you?"

"None of your fucking business." Matthew snapped clinging desperately to his anger to keep the embarrassment at bay. He dropped the edge of the shirt and underpants letting them cover him again as he glared daggers at his sibling.

"Was it that thing?" Alfred asked pointing at Gilbert. "That one you didn't want me touching?"

Ivan smiled his dangerous smile at Alfred but the boy refused to back down. "That is mine." He said pulling Gilbert behind him. "And you bruised him."

"I'm not yours." Gilbert snapped.

"Gilbert." Francis admonished weakly.

"Shut up. You deal with your own love problems and stay out of mine." He growled and Ludwig started down the stairs.

"Don't talk to him like that." Ludwig snapped at his brother making Francis eyes widen in surprise. Hope bloomed in his chest but his eyes drifted past Ludwig to Feliciano who was still hanging back at the top of the stairs and he crushed the feeling.

"He was my friend before he was your rebound so piss off." Gilbert snapped at Ludwig.

"Gilbert!" Francis gasped in shock at the harsh comment.

"I'm sorry." Feliciano directed at Francis suddenly sobbing and Ludwig paused in going down the stairs to defend Francis and going back to take care of Feli.

"Don't apologize." Francis hissed suddenly angry himself. It was easier when Feliciano was dead he thought. At least then he could hate the bastard without feeling the guilt.

"Don't talk to Feliciano like that." Ludwig said scowling at Francis as he went back up the stairs and the little Fallen met him half way flinging himself into his lovers arms.

"Why? What are you gonna do if I do? Hit me?" Francis asked hands on his hips.

Ludwig flinched at that as Matthew touched Francis's arm. "Francis cut it out." He demanded. The older angel shrugged him off and Alfred laughed. "Oh what good friends you have Mattie."

"You shut up."

"They can't even agree on lovers. They are savages Matt. Why can't you see that?"

"They are not!" he yelled.

"We need to leave here." Norge said grabbing hold of Matthias as the volume picked up below them people getting more and more pissed.

"Leave?"' The tall man mimicked. "But-"

"Now!" The smaller man demanded. "Before these angels get it in their heads that we need to be detained again."

"Run while you can we will find you." Alfred directed at them and Matthew shoved him. "Leave them alone!"

"I don't wanna leave." Ice said suddenly.

"Me either." Tino agreed. "Not yet."

"Norge thinks we should go though." Mathias said rubbing the back of his head.

Sebastian looked at them in surprise. "You can't go yet." He said shocked.

"Why do you always seem to have hidden agenda?" Su asked frowning at Sebastian. "We can leave whenever we want."

"I do not." Sebastian replied looking affronted.

"But I don't wanna go!" Ice insisted shaking his head. "Why do we always have to do what Norge wants to do?"

"We do not!" Norge snapped. "It's for your own benefit!"

"Why do you always get to decide what for my benefit?"

"ENOUGH!" Holland yelled silencing the whole house. "Living room." No one moved looking at the severely pissed off man. "NOW!" He barked sending them all scrambling to do as told.

Seating became a problem as Ivan tried to force Gilbert to sit with him and the Shadow demon began adamantly refusing. And Ice didn't wanna be by Norge but Mathias wanted his whole group together so they started to bicker. And there was only so much seating so Francis ended up next to Ludwig and Feli much to his dismay and refused to even look at them making Feliciano burst out into tears again. Alfred refused to sit by any demons so he stood off to the side glaring daggers at Matthew who was glaring back. And Sebastian claimed the single lounge chair to himself with a smile as Gilbert begged him to let him have the seat.

"SIT!" Holland snapped making everyone drop into their seats as he frowned in front of the fire place. "What is wrong with everyone?" He asked rubbing at the back of his head. "I know we have had a tough few days but this is ridiculous!"

"Norge if you want to leave you may no one is holding you here. You know that but don't say things just to get the angels riled up."

The demon huffed and sifted a little. "He's just pissing me off." Norge muttered.

"Yeah, feelings mutual buddy." Alfred replied and Holland held up his hands to both of them to keep them quiet.

"I quite understand how you feel, but it just causes more problems." Norge rolled his eyes and Mathias pulled him closer chuckling. " We got it boss." The other Lord demon teased.

"Ice you always know you're free to stay with us." Holland said looking at the small ice demon. "I'm sure Mathias would not mind leaving you in my care for a short while so why the panic? Why argue with your brother?"

Ice looked away with that eerie calm face of his just like his brother before he huffed. "I had a dream."

Norge blinked at that and looked at his brother who was sitting on the other side of Su and Tino. "A dream?" He repeated the whole group of Mathias people looked interested at the boy though Matthew had no idea why. "What was it about?"

"It was…" Ice flushed red and even Holland looked stunned at that. "Personal." Norge's face shifted to something like pain before it smoothed back out. "Here?" He asked.

"Yes." Ice replied.

Mathias stood suddenly. "Why didn't you tell us?" He demanded.

"Mathias." Norge hissed at him.

"Were you going to try and sneak off without my permission?" Mathias pressed on stepping towards Ice who refused to meet his eye.

"Mathias! I will finish our bond." Norge said standing up between Lord and his brother.

"NO!" Ice gasped but Norge ignored him. "When this…person from Ice's dream shows up and if they turn out to be worthy I will finish the bond and you will let him go."

Mathias looked at his little lover stunned. "You will finally…finish the bond?"

"Yes." Monosyllabic and straight to the point. "Now sit." The bigger man dropped into his seat in a daze.

Alfred looked disturbed by what he was hearing and Matthew almost laughed but Holland was now looking at Francis Ludwig and Feliciano crossing his arms. "You three…"

"I'm leaving so we're not a problem." Francis cut in raising his hand as if to say stop.

"You're leaving?" Ludwig said shocked.

"Because of me?" Feli asked teary eyes ready to bawl at any minute.

"No because my job here is done." The Frenchman replied. "I still have to run it over with Holland but I am sure he will agree and I will no longer be needed."

"I would prefer you stay." Sebastian spoke up surprising Holland and Francis.

"Why?" Francis asked narrow eyed.

"I need someone to help me cook tonight." He replied with a shrug and the Frenchmen looked anything but pleased. "Sebastian." He started but the little demon smiled at him. "Just one more night and then you can go."

"I think it would be best if-"

"Just stay the night." Ludwig said and Francis deflated. He could never say no to Ludwig.

Holland turned towards Gilbert and Ivan and the Demon shook his head. "You know better than to start with me Holland. I'm not here for your therapy we're all happy class."

"I am aware." He replied looking at the two frowning. "But you need one."

"I NEED a lot of things." Gilbert snapped. "But I will never get them."

"You need your ass kicked." Ivan said.

"You need to go die." Gilbert shot back.

"Why are you bickering with that thing Ivan?" Alfred cut in and Gilbert stiffened.

Ivan looked at Alfred and slowly stood up from the couch walking towards him. "He is feisty comrade. He kind of reminded me of you." He said smiling and Alfred blinked at him nonplussed.

"You miss me that much you had to find me a replacement?" Alfred asked eyes drifting to Gilbert looking him over and finding him wanting. He scoffed. "You could have done a little better than that."

"Piss off." Gilbert snapped crushing the sudden feeling of betrayal he felt. Ivan was just using him? Because he reminded him of some snotty little angel from home? Ivan wrapped and arm around Alfred's waist and the man snorted at him. "Miss me that much?" He asked. "You know I don't like touching in public."

Matthew was looking at Ivan and Alfred like they had grown two heads. They weren't a couple. EVER. They wanted to kill each other more times than not so what the HELL was going on?

"Stop touching him!" Gilbert hissed suddenly furious. "Or at least wait until I leave so I won't barf.

"I could have sworn your eyes were red when I got here but they are looking a little green right now." Alfred replied.

"I'm not jealous. " Gilbert yelled standing upright face red as hell.

"Good. I hate sharing."

"Good you can keep him! He wasn't any good anyway!"

Alfred laughed and Ivan and him shared a look that make Matthew blush all the way to the roots of his hair. His head was spinning things were so weird. "Whatever you say boss."

Gilbert looked between the two hands clenched into fists at his sides. "You really…used me?"

Ivan raised an eyebrow at him. "Weren't you using me?"

Gilberts blush deepened and he glanced around the room a look of shame on his face as he turned to leave. Ludwig went to stand and Gilbert made a hissing noise retreating up the stairs.

A door slammed and everyone winced. "What the hell was that?" Matthew demanded in a low voice like Gilbert might over hear him. Alfred shrugged and Ivan started to pace pissed off. "You two have never-"

"But he doesn't know that." Alfred replied.

"What does that accomplish?" Matthew demanded storming to his problem causing brother.

"It proves to himself that he gave a shit about his…" Alfred paused and glanced at Ivan making a face. "Relationship he had with Ivan. Is that what you would call it? A Relationship?" He directed at Ivan who ignored him.

"But…why?" Matthew asked anger leaving him replaced by confusion. "You-"

"I don't approve of you with a demon but Ivan can handle one. Plus it will get him to stop flirting with me." Alfred said smiling widely.

"You flirt with me." Ivan said lowly in a way Matthew found dangerous but Alfred just laughed patting him on the back. "Give him an hour to brood. He will come find you demanding answers. Don't have sex with him."

Ivan blinked at that. "Why not."

"Because your whole relationship revolves around sex. You want it to be more then you can't try and fix every problem that arises with coitus." He replied dropping down into the love seat Ivan and Gilbert had vacated propping his feet up on the coffee table. "Talk fight, cuddle, hell make out, but do not let him talk you into doin the deed or he will always have the power in your courtship."

"Why do you know so much?" Ivan asked moodily, Matthew would call it sulking but never to the man's face.

"I hang out with Francis." He said smiling at the angel across the room who snorted and shook his head standing.

"I am starting breakfast."

"I will help." Sebastian said climbing to his little hooved feet and stretching. "Call if you need anything Master." Holland nodded eyes on Alfred trying to gauge the new arrival.

Alfred jerked Matthew down to sit next to him on the couch and hooked and arm over his shoulder. All anger slipped out of Matthew. He could never stay mad at his brother even if he was being and obnoxious asshole. "So Mattie. Your boyfriend seems to take charge pretty well."

Matthew flushed red and he glanced at Holland who raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah he does alright." Matthew whispered hunching under his brothers arm. "Your being far more nice all of a sudden."

"Mattie I thought you were in the clutches of evil villains! I can't come in all nice asking for you back! I had to come in like a badass and show my seriousness."

Matthew sighed heavily rolling his eyes. "How kind of you…I wanted to kick your ass."

"I felt that." Alfred said rubbing his jaw smiling. "You got testy while you have been away."

"Matthew wanted to smile but fought it down trying to find some of his anger. "You offended my friends." He muttered looking down at his hands.

Alfred raised an eyebrow at that. "You want me to apologize?" he asked.

Matthew bit the inside of his lip knowing the apology would never happen. "You called me a slut."

Alfred laughed at that. "Yeah we are going to talk about that little…mishap privately so I can beat you for being so stupid."

"I'm not stupid." Matthew insisted and glanced at Holland for help but the man was just gazing at him with an amused look on his face. Matthew grit his teeth before spitting out his next words like a curse. "I like it."

Alfred blinked at that looking down at his brother who had his head lowered but still shot him an annoyed glare. "Matt…" The blue eyed blond said carefully. "They aren't like us."

"I know."

"You hated them before you left." Alfred reminded his brother raising his face.

"I have…grown since then." Matthew winced at the words. He hadn't had a chance to talk about his changing attitude towards demons since he realized he didn't hate them anymore. And now he was talking about it with his slightly biased brother in front of all his knew friends. "Can we not do this now?" He begged weakly and Alfred sat back frowning like he was pissed and he stood.

"Well shit." Alfred said looking at Holland. "At least he's attractive. Not Arthur hot or anything but alright…for a demon."

Matthew blinked at his brother in shock. Everyone knew he and Arthur had a thing but they never talked about it. "Oh don't look so shocked baby brother. You can't be the only rebel. Grant it your sin is way worse than mine but we all gotta take a taste of the fruit of knowledge right? And what a bit you got. One hell of a Mouthful."

Alfred eyes trailed up Holland and the demon raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You have no idea how much of a mouthful I am."

Matthew blushed even redder then he thought possible and Alfred had his head back laughing. "You have one hell of a mood swing." Matthew said standing grabbing his brother's hand and tugging him towards the stairs. "Nice to meet all of you. Even if you are demons." Alfred called over his shoulder as he was drug away.

Matthew shoved Alfred into his room and shut the room huffing an annoyed sigh. "I could kill you."

"Yeah I'm not exactly fucking happy with you either." Alfred said looking around the room nosily. "How could you let them bite you Matt."

"It's not a them and it was Holland and that's not your business. Why don't you get on Ivan's ass? Gilbert chews on him all the time and you practically shove them at each other." Matthew asked jerking on a pair of pants and looking for a day shirt to wear.

"Because Ivan is not my brother." Alfred replied honestly.

"Lucky me." Matthew replied drolly.

Alfred paused in his snooping and looked back at Matthew. "Are you ok Matt?...He's not forcing you into anything you don't want to be in is he?"

"No…No he is…taking it very slow for my sake." He replied blushing and dropping down onto the bed. "I don't know what to do I'm so confused."

"About what?" Alfred asked leaning against the dresser looking at his nervous sibling.

"How I'm supposed to react. What I'm supposed say. What I'm supposed to feel. I want to please him and I don't know how. I mean I…" Matthew glanced nervously at Alfred who was gazing back at him looking interested. "I have never…been with a demon…been with a man. I feel so useless. I mean I tried to-you know…have sex with him and he stopped me. Why would he do that? Does he not want me?"

"He stopped you?" Alfred asked looking surprised. "So you two have never-" He wiggled his hand in a way that Matthew assumed meant to signify sex and he shook his head. "Wow Matt…I would say that you got a gentlemen on your hands."

"I wouldn't call him that." Matthew said frowning thinking of their first few weeks together with the forced bathes and Holland dragging him back to the house repeatedly. Where did that hard faced Holland go? When had he disappeared to be replied by this smiling man Matthew was afraid he was falling head over heals for.

"More so than Arthur." Alfred replied with a coconspirators smile as he leaned forward lowing his voice. "He took me so hard the first time I asked him too and I swore to God I would never do it again it hurt so bad."

"It hurts!" Matthew epped going pale thinking of Holland significant length.

Alfred shrugged. "Not if it's done right…then again…sometimes…it does if it is done right." he smiled again at some memory he was remembering in his mind and Matthew made sure to look at him through his glasses not wanting any visuals of his brother and Arthur fucking.

"What does that mean?" Matthew asked. "Does it or does it not hurt?"

"Look your first time is gonna be weird." Alfred said blushing himself a little but smiling with confidence. "It hurts but it's not unbearable give your partner a second to get started and it should get better…if he keeps his self-control in check. Matthew you have had sex you know how it is when you top and you just wanna go to town. It's the same thing only you're the one receiving. You're not a total virgin."

"I feel like one." Matthew replied honestly chewing at his lip. "Does this mean you approve?" He asked hopefully.

"Oh hell no. I plan on killing him when you're not looking." Alfred replied going back to snooping looking in the bathroom. "But if he gets to your rear before then I want you to be prepared."

Matthew blushed and shook his head. Alfred may be an abrasive obnoxious asshole but at least he cared.

"You are wearing glasses." Alfred said from somewhere in the bathroom messing with the shower knobs before coming back out. "You finally open your full power?"

"Yes." Matthew replied. "I'm struggling to put it back."

"You won't be able to." Alfred replied. "I opened mine forever ago and I have never been able to keep it at bay."

"Yeah but you have got it controlled now." Matthew replied looking at his brother's gun. "I remember when you couldn't filter it down to do more than explode. Now you can focus into those deadly little bullets for your gun. It's really someing Al."

His brother smiled always pleased to have his ego stroked and tilted his head to the side. "You have changed Matt…your more…relaxed…open then you were before you got kidnapped."

"I wasn't kidnapped. I broke the rules there is a difference." Matthew sighed.

"Yeah whatever. My point is you're different. I'm not a huge fan of demons but-" Alfred replied "maybe it's good you came."

Maybe it was good he came? Matthew smiled. He agreed.

Review?


	31. something new

Francis cut up fruit slowly eyeing Sebastian across the room. "Something wrong?" The black skinned man asked.

"I'm trying to figure out what your angle is." Francis replied honestly as the shorter demon whisked a large bowl of eggs.

Sebastian smiled keeping his eyes cast down on his task at hand. "I don't have an angle. I just need a helping hand from time to time. I will miss your skill in the kitchen when you are gone."

"Flattery gets you nowhere with me old man." Sebastian chuckled pouring some vanilla extract into the eggs whisking some more before pouring some onto a skillet. He set the bowl down nudged the slowly solidifying liquid and then looked up at Francis who was frowning hard.

"You're going to get wrinkles doing that."

"I don't want to be here anymore Sebastian. Why wouldn't you just let me leave when I had the chance?" He whispered. The older demon sighed softly changing to his larger form and setting his hand onto of Francis's to make him go still.

"His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.'"

"John 9:2-3… That's a little dramatic for my situation; I'm not blind just romantically stunted. And how will staying here help me ease my suffering? There is no one in this house without a significant other except Ice and he had dreamed of his bonding partner."

Sebastian chuckled. "I have to be honest with you. I was being selfish when I asked you to stay. The caretaker of this place is coming soon and will need help bringing everything into the house. Food, clothes, supplies. I figured everyone else would be too caught up in their own problems and you could help um."

Francis raised an eyebrow at that shaking his head. "You could have just said so from the beginning."

"What fun is that?" Sebastian asked smiling glancing out the window. "Oh. They're here now. Help them in will you?"

Sighing heavily Francis washed and dried his hands walking towards the back door and pulled it open before his body went still. A little woman walked towards him bags hooked on her arms that she picked up off of a small trailer full of goods.

She was wearing a golden cross around her neck and a white short sleeved shirt that clung to her. A black corset that tied up the front accentuated her small bosom and an ankle length red skirt attached to the bottom of the waist synching material. The skirt had two large slits up the front all the way to the bottom of the corset giving the woman a larger range of motion and showing of her black pant clad legs. The dark material looked like it was panted onto her tiny limbs leaving little to Francis's imagination as his gaze trailed down to supple leather boots that came up to just below her knees finishing the outfit.

Francis swallowed. Hard. "Good Lord." He breathed out.

"You don't mind helping do you?" Sebastian asked coyly poking at his eggs again smiling to himself. Francis was speechless.

"Hey." The little woman greeted with a breath stealing smile as she approached the door and paused.

"Hey." Francis parroted back staring at her with wide eyes.

She chuckled a little looking up at Francis threw sinfully long lashes with her sky blue eyes. "You mind if I sneak by?" She asked pointing towards the inside that Francis was blocking with his body in the doorway.

"Oh…OH" Francis jumped back like he'd been scolded. "No. Of course not. Come in!"

She chuckled softly again and walked up the porch steps. "Thank you." She said softly in passing before setting her bags on the island in the middle of the room. "Sebastian I have missed you!"

"Ah, Joan dear, and I you." The demon replied pulling the tiny woman in for a hug and they kissed each other cheeks.

"I was afraid you and Holland would never come back." She pouted playfully and Sebastian laughed.

"Some things came up I'm sorry. Thank you for caring for the house."

"I didn't do much. Chased off a few squatters here and there but you wouldn't let me clean the place so I did what I could."

She was beautiful. Francis thought stunned. He hadn't found himself attracted to anyone since Ludwig. Her ultra-short hair was golden like wheat and looked soft, so soft Francis had the strongest urge to run his fingers in it.

"Oh where are my manners. Joan this is Francis. Francis this is Joan, a friend of mine. Francis is going to help you bring everything inside and help you organize it all." Sebastian directed at the woman named Joan.

"Oh thank you that would be so helpful. It was a long walk." Joan said smiling easily at Francis who suddenly had no idea how to speak at all so he just nodded quickly.

Joan's lips quirked up in a confused smile and she raised an eyebrow at Sebastian who just smiled back before she headed for the door. "K well I wanna bring everything in first before splitting it up so when you're ready feel free to come help."

When Joan was out of the house Sebastian nudged Francis following his gaze after the women. "Her name is Joan and is very easy to talk to. You should give it a try instead of just staring like a buffoon."

"Are you trying to set me up with an old family friend Sebastian?" Francis asked unable to take his eyes off Joan who was picking up more bags.

"Don't be silly. I would never do that I'm far too old to be playing match maker…but I would not protest if a nice young man as yourself started something up with her. How about you just try helping her out for now and see where it goes. God willing she will look past the dumb look on your face and like you too."

Francis flushed red and shot a glare at Sebastian before rushing out of the house and up to Joan. He offered to carry her largest bag and she laughed but accepted his help and Sebastian smiled. It was about time those two met. He thought as someone pushed the kitchen door open.

"Oh excuse me I was looking for Francis." Ludwig said softly glancing around the room for the man before step into the demons line of sight.

"He is busy." He replied crossing his arms giving the blond a narrowed eyed look.

"Who is that outside with him?" Ludwig asked frowning, eyeing the woman outside laughing with Francis with a displeased look.

"Listen Ludwig, I like you. I like what you have going with Feliciano, he needs someone like you." Blue eyes bore into Ludwig's own while black inky pools seeped into the white of Sebastian's eyes. His power flared just the slightest bit and he pointed his spatula at the other man. "But if you get in the way of what I'm doing right now for Francis I will rip you in half, put your head on a spike out front, and feed your entrails to wild dogs. Do you understand me."

Ludwig blinked rapidly, shocked eyes drifting to Francis and Joan once more, who were walking towards the house and he nodded once sharply. "Ja." He answered.

"Very good." Sebastian said with a smile, eyes suddenly snapping back to white with one blink. "Now get out."

Ludwig left the room just as Joan and Francis made it back inside and Sebastian pushed at his eggs again with a small smile.

!#$%^&uio_!#$%^&*()_

Matthew sighed looking at his brother who was glaring back at him. "You have to leave."

"No." Alfred replied petulantly.

"Alfred please."

"No way."

Matthew bit the inside of his lip fighting down his growing annoyance. "Al." He tried for whining.

"Why can't I share a room with you?" Alfred whined right back. "We've shared one for like ever."

"You can have a room down the hall." Matthew pushed.

"How can I protect you from the creep sneaking in here at night if I'm down the hall?" Matthew made a guilt face and looked away quickly blushing and Alfred gasped like he was appalled. "MATTHEW WILLIAMS! He stays with you already doesn't he!"

A polite knock sounded at the door before it pushed open and Holland stepped in. "Hey sorry." He directed at Matthew. "I stayed out as long as I could but I need to shower and get dressed and shit so…"

"Oh no no come in!" Matthew said trying to fight down his blush. Holland shut the door behind him and moved about the room collecting his things he would need for bathing and an awkward silence settled over them. Matthew stared at his feet and Alfred did his best to glare holes into the back of Holland's head.

"You wanna shower with me?" Holland asked Matthew unperturbed by Alfred who squawked like a startled bird at the question getting to his feet from his seat on the bed and drawing his gun.

"Defiler!" He yelled and Matthew let out a horrified yell grabbing ahold of the gun and pointing it to the ceiling as Alfred power pushed through it and it went off.

Everyone jerked at the pop of the gun before the room went still for three seconds and Matthew freaked. "What is WRONG with you!"

"He is trying to tempt you into the shower to deflower you!" Alfred wailed in his defense waving his gun around.

" Argh, It's just a shower!" Matthew yelled back jerking the gun away from his brother. "We do it all the time! To get clean nothing like…like…THAT!"

"That's what he wants you to think! He's trying to tempt you into feeling safe before he rapes you!" Alfred said pitifully ducking his head at Matthews unusual yelling.

"God!" Matthew growled running his free hand through his hair in aggravation. "It's not like that Alfred. This is not a toy! You could have killed him!" he said waving the gun in Alfred direction.

"Well yeah, that's the point." He said hands on his hips in defiance.

"I just want to strangle you sometime!" Matthew shouted.

"Right back at you! You're such an idiot!" Alfred screamed back.

"Whoa, ok, timeout." Holland said stepping between the severely pissed twins. "Matthew how about you jump in the shower and cool down ok, and I'll have a little talk with your brother."

"No way." Both brother said at the same time and Holland sighed before taking Matthews shoulder easing him towards the bath. "Look it needs to happen anyway and now is as good a time as any alright? You keep the gun and I'm sure I will be fine."

"Don't you hurt him Alfred or so help me God-" Matthew called around Holland bulky frame at his sibling.

"I'd be doing you a favor baby brother. Just let me kill him and thank me later."

"Just let me handle him please." Holland said softly to Matthew who was red in the face with anger. "Woo. I haven't seen you this mad since you first got to my house." He teased leaning down and kissing his forehead making Matthew's anger turn to embarrassment. "Shower. I will join you in ten minutes." He gave the little angel a wink shutting the door and sighing as he faced the pissed looking Alfred.

"You and I need to talk."

"No talking needed. Just go kill yourself and we'll be all set."

"You need to stop talking all that shit to your brother." Holland growled frustrated. "It's taken me almost two months to get him to this point and I'm not gonna let you fuck all that up."

"My Brother is not having a relationship with a demon. It's just not happening." Alfred replied firmly. "Look I'm not a demon hater or anything. I don't even care if some angels get their jollies off fucking your kind, but Matts not gonna be one of those people."

"Why not!" Holland asked exasperated. "You don't even know me. I'm a good guy."

"You're not like us." Alfred replied with a shrug. "Mattie is just too naive to understand that right now."

"Matthew is not a child!" Holland shouted before glancing at the bathroom door and lowering his voice. "You really don't have any say so in who he is with. The only reason I am talking with you at all is because he's your brother I want you to understand that I'm not going to do anything to hurt him."

Alfred glared at Holland shaking his head. "You were just talking to him about having sex with me before I got here! Why would you do that if you didn't approve?" Holland asked exasperated.

"Because Matthew asked and I wasn't gonna lie to him about sex. Why were you listening to our conversation?" Alfred shot back.

"To make sure you weren't killing each other! Look your brother and I are going to be dating just let us try it out that's all I'm asking."

"I don't like it." Alfred insisted.

"I don't need you to like it. I need you to tolerate it."

"And if I don't?"

"You're going to." Holland replied evenly crossing his arms across his chest. "Because without my bite Matthew will die."

Alfred's eyes got comically wide and Holland would have laughed if he didn't fear the man was about to lose it. "The mark Matt showed me…You…death marked my baby brother?" He asked softly dropping down to sit on the bed feeling light headed. "I…can't kill you…without damning Mattie too. Jesus Christ."

"I hadn't wanted to. It was the only way I could save his life."

"Why was he dying in your care in the first place!" Alfred yelled and Holland run two hands through his hair starting to pace remembering why he'd had to give Matthew his mark.

"Look it wasn't supposed to happen like it did alright but Matthew wouldn't back down and he hurt himself and…we hurt him on top of it. But he wouldn't stop. He lost his damn mind and I couldn't let him hurt Ludwig. We were in my house. It's my job to protect people in my home."

"Protect demons but not my brother apparently." Alfred pushing himself back onto his feet and Holland snarled horns spiraling out of his head. "I never wanted to hurt him! He gave me no choice."

"Holland?" Matthew said weakly from the bathroom doorway wrapped in a towel eyeing Holland's horns. "Is everything alright?"

"Fine!" he snapped and Matthew narrowed his eyes back at him not willing to take the demons shit. Holland took a calming breath and forced the horns away looking back at Matthew apologetically. "We're fine." He said softly.

"You let him death mark you!" Alfred hissed at Matthew who didn't bat an eye.

"I didn't want to die." He replied. "He kept me alive. Keeps me alive every time he re-bites me. I'm not seeing the problem."

"He beat you nearly to death and then bound you to himself with a fucking death bite that's the problem!" Alfred snapped.

"I tried to kill someone Alfred. They were just defending themselves."

"But you will never…be free of him now." Alfred said his eyes full of fear and worry for his brother.

Matthew sighed. "I know Al. But I could picked worse." He said lightly with a half-smile. "Even you admitted he's pretty hot."

Alfred gave Matthew a pitying look and the other angel sighed again. "Alright. That's enough talk for now. Holland get in this shower with me now and Alfred go get something to eat. Sebastian should be about done with breakfast for everyone. Don't hurt anybody!" He said firmly pulling Holland into the bathroom with him and leaving a startled Alfred in the bedroom alone.

Alfred huffed in annoyance. "DON'T MAKE BAD DECISIONS!" He yelled through the door.

"GO AWAY!" Matthew yelled back.

Alfred groaned miserably before heading for the door. He was hungry. Maybe he could find Ivan and Francis and eat with them. He thought walking down the stairs to the dining room. Much to his dismay only demons were seated in the room and they all fell quiet looking at him.

He shifted uncomfortably and opened his mouth to tell them off when one of the little demons spoke up. "Would you like to join us? Sebastian is just about done and is having Ivan help him bring everything out."

Alfred blinked at that not expecting hospitality and he shifted again suddenly feeling very out of place which didn't happen to him often. "Sure." He muttered taking a seat leaving two chairs between him and the tiny demon number one. TD 1 he would call him he decided eyeing up the group. TD1 sat next to a stoic demon, SD, in glasses who only seemed to pay attention to TD1. TD2 the pale kid who talked about a dream was sitting next to what could only be his brother, TD3, both looked emotionless looking Alfred over. The large one Big Daddy demon, BDD was smiling a half crazy smile at Alfred like he wanted nothing more than to shove a fork through the angels skull.

Lovely.

The group sat in awkward silence until Sebastian and Ivan came out bringing plates and bowls of food. Everyone helped pass out plates and scooped food onto them before passing the bowl around till everyone had some with soft spoken 'could you pass the' and 'oh thank yous'. It was so incredibly normal Alfred almost felt like he was in the twilight zone.

Minutes passes in silence and Alfred got antsy. He hated silence. "Hey." He spoke up waving his fork at TD2 what's this dream you were going on about.

TD2 shifted uncomfortable and glanced at BDD before forcing his eye on his food and talking. "I have premonitions in the forms of dreams sometimes."

"So…this dream you had was some type of premonition of your future pet or something?"

"Not a pet." He said glancing up and looking back down quickly. "My bonded."

"There's a difference?"

"Your being rude Comrade." Ivan cut in.

"What? I didn't know there was any difference." Alfred insisted and TD1 cleared his throat politely.

"Su and I are both bonded to each other. If your both demons it's not a one way bond like it is for Matthew and Holland." Su equals SD Alfred though looking at the straight faced man before looking back at TD1. "It's normally a mutual agreement to become a bonded pair. Like a Marriage."

"How about a one sided bond. What's that like?" Alfred asked shoving his fork angrily into his eggs. "Doesn't it seem unfair to have one person committed and the other not?"

"A bond isn't a sign of forced commitment, it's for protection." TD1 said shocked. "One way bonds are no less serious than a two way except the unbound partner has to deal with other demons thinking he has no protection."

"So this person you're looking forward to meeting, what if you don't like um? Will you still bond for his protection?" Alfred asked growing steadily more interested as he spoke with them.

"I will like him." TD2 said frowning.

"But if you didn't would you bond anyway is what I'm asking."

"You don't bond with someone you don't love." Su cut in in his calm deep voice starling Alfred a little.

"I thought you said it was for protection? What does love have to do with it?"

"Well Ice has protection now from Mathias and Norge right now. You see and unbounded individual usually finds a group to live who are willing to watch over them until they find a strong partner they care for to bond with. Then they can go out on their own if they choose or they can stay with their pack to make it stronger by bring their mate in. A Bond or Demon Mark as the angel call it is the highest form of showing protection in demon culture, so you wouldn't bond with just anyone. A pair is almost always in love because you wouldn't want to bond with someone then fall in love with someone else and not be able to properly protect them."

Mathias equal BDD and TD3 was Norge. Sebastian was the black thing eyeing him not so nicely across the table. He had most of the group's names now he was only missing TD1 and the weird half breed down at the other end of the table sitting next to Ludwig. He remembered reading the blond demons Bio when they put a hit out on him. What that demon was doing still alive was beyond him but Matthew told him not to start trouble so he left it alone for now. Besides these people weren't so bad, a little quiet but not too bad. For demons anyway.

"I'm sorry but what the hell are you? I can't pin it down if you're an angel or a demon and its really freaking me out." Alfred asked the brunet at the end of the table who looked startled at being addressed before his hair darkened and his eyes flipped to green and he was half snarling.

"Mind your own fucking business."

"You some half breed or something?" Alfred pushed on not fazed by the angry man.

"No I'm some fucked up experiment gone wrong. What's it too ya?"

"Roma stop it!" The boy cried suddenly hair color changing two shades lighter again and eyes going back to brown. "Sorry. Romano gets a little angry sometimes. I'm Feliciano. My brother and my souls live in one body so it's a little complicated." He said smiling tilting his head to the side shyly. "I hope it doesn't bother you too badly."

"Don't apologize for something someone else did to you." Alfred said firmly and Feli blinked and then blushed. "Ok." He whispered. "Ivan come sit next to me."

"Why?"

"Cause your lover's gonna be showing up any minute to rip you a new asshole and we wanna make our love story believable don't we?" Alfred said with a smile.

"I'm not kissing you." Ivan deadpanned.

Alfred snorted and shoved some eggs into his mouth. "I would punch you if you did. Just come sit with me that's all it will take for him to lose it."

"Are you sure it's alright to taunt Gilbert like that?" TD1 asked.

"Don't you worry your cute little head tiny demon. I know what I'm doing." Alfred replied smiling widely as Ivan sighed and dropped down into the seat next to him with a huff.

"His name is Tino." The Russian muttered. "He has a name so use it."

"Tino." Alfred repeated. "Pleasure to meet you Tino. You are by far the nicest demon I have met in my life."

Tino smile shyly and everyone paused when the heard feet coming down the stairs and a furious looking albino stormed into the room.

Well hell. Maybe it was better if Ivan had stayed in his spot across the table so when the fist started flying he was out of range. Alfred though eyeing the pissed shadow demon.

Review?


	32. Changing

"You lied to me." Gilbert hissed at Ivan as the whole table went still. The angel in question didn't flinch and continued to eat his food.

"Pass me the eggs please." Ivan said to Tino who looked suddenly too nervous to move glancing between the pissed Demon and the angel who was clenching his jaw in aggravation.

"I'm fucking talking to you." Gilbert snapped walking the rest of the way up to the table and slamming his fist on it rattling the plates.

"Well he's not talking to you so beat it." Alfred said reclining back in his chair looking over the shadow demon like he wasn't impressed.

Gilbert looked momentarily shook up eyes wide looking at Alfred like he was some strange animal he'd never seen before when suddenly the anger was back and he picked up the nearest plate and chucked it at the new angel with a rage filled cry making Alfred duck out of the way.  
>HEY!" "I hate you!" He screamed when suddenly he was pinned against a wall by Ivan's much bigger body.<p>

"Stop it." The angel growled lowly. "You want to talk we will go upstairs and that will be the end of it. Do you understand?" Gilbert looked up at Ivan confusion and hurt in his blood red eyes.

"Do you understand?" Ivan asked giving him a slight shake jarring him back into his anger.

"Yes. Get off me!"

Ivan let him go and the demon stormed back towards the stairs not looking back. Ivan sighed and followed.

Gilbert pushed open the door to Ivan's room and slammed it shut behind them. "Your temper is not helping." Ivan said softly.

"You used me!" Gilbert snapped. "So all that shit you said…All that shit about wanting me to tattoo your name on me, and wanting me and all that…you were lying."

"No. I wasn't." Ivan replied sighing and running a hand through his hair.

"You have a lover Ivan. That fucking cocky asshole downstairs, so don't fucking-"

Ivan raised his hand to silence Gilbert before he spoke again. "Alfred is not my lover." No one spoke for a moment and Gilbert narrowed his eyes. "But you said."

"I was lying to make you jealous."

"WHY?" The larger man sighed shaking his head.

"Because I can't live like this Gilbert. Letting you feed only when I can coax you into it. Fucking only when you feel like it. Taking your constant shit about how I don't know anything about you or your past lovers. I want a future with you." Ivan paused glancing at Gilbert who was standing unnaturally still with wide eyes. "But I can't have one when every step forward I take you shove me back six, comrade."

"I-" Gilbert reached forward and Ivan shook his head stepping back.

"No. No Gilbert, I want you to think about it. Really think about what you're doing to me, dragging me along, and what you are doing to yourself refusing to move forward. I can't be with you right now. When you make your decision and if you are willing to try, then come speak with me. If you can't I would prefer you make this easier on us both and just stop."

Gilbert slumped back and lowered his face and Ivan sighed before walking forward and kissing the top of his head. "Please try for me." He whispered before walking out of the room.

~!#$%^&*()_~!#$%^&*()_+

A short time later Matthew and Holland came down stairs freshly showered and dressed. "Ah Old friend you missed a great meal. Or perhaps you had one of your own." Mathias said looking over the blushing Matthew with a smile.

"Watch yourself." Holland replied back with a slight smile of his own.

"Would you like me to keep out the leftover sir? We were just about to clean up." Sebastian asked pausing in cleaning up the dishes.

"Oh, just let us make up two plates Sebastian then you can carry on." Holland replied taking a seat and two clean plates. "Where is Francis?"

"Helping Joan sir." The black skinned demon replied not batting an eye. "I fed them both already so please don't worry. They are working on supplies for me."

"Joan is here?" Holland asked scooping food onto his and Matthew's plates.

"Yes sir. She arrived a short while ago."

"I should go see her." The demon lord said with a slight frown. "I haven't seen her in ages."

"After you eat." Ludwig spoke up drawing everyone's eyes as he picked up his and Feliciano's plates. "You are looking thin Holland I worry these past few days have been rough on you and I would hate to have to take over your lands."

"Ludwig is that a joke? From you?" Holland chuckled before smiling widely. "Alright I will eat. Calm down."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow at Ludwig and the man just shrugged handing over his plates.

"Where is Gilbert at?" Matthew asked picking at his fruit. Everyone went quiet. "And Ivan? Are they better now?"

Tino cleared his throat politely before speaking. "Ivan just went outside for a walk and Gilbert is upstairs."

"Oh…oh no. I should go check on him." Matthew said partially standing before Holland stood and waved him off.

"No I'll do it. You eat. Talk with your brother, I'll be back." Alfred was watching them with a strange expression on his face and Matthew blushed as Holland left.

The spikey haired demon lord sighed walking up the stairs wondering why Gilbert had to be so difficult recently. The man was normally fun loving, loud, and playful. Now he was secretive and wretchedly depressed.

"Gilbert?" He called softly knocking on the bedroom door before slowly pushing it open. The room was bathed in darkness with the thick curtains drawn and all the lights out. Only a sliver of light slipped in from the left curtain where it didn't meet all the way across. Holland stepped into the room and pushed the door closed behind him letting his eyes adjust. What better place for a shadow demon to hide then in a completely dark room.

"Gilbert come out please."

No response came and Holland closed his eyes listening hard. A sniff came from his left by an overly large desk. He opened his eyes again and walked towards it slowly before kneeling down in front of the exposed section where the chair was supposed to be but was missing. "Hey." He said softly to Gilbert who was looking back at him with red rimmed eyes.

"Hey." The other man replied just as softly.

Gilbert had crammed himself up under the desk his legs were pulled up towards his chest with his arms wrapped around them and his head was leaning against the cool wood on his left. "Why are you under a desk?" Holland asked and Gilbert shook his head.

"Fuck I don't know." The albino moaned squeezing his eyes closed tight. "One second we're fine next were fighting and I don't know why. Then he pulls that shit with that stupid fucking Angel who just showed up and I wanted to rip his stupid fucking throat out. Now he's demanding a real relationship and I don't know what the fuck I want and my head hurts so bad I can hardly think and I'm just so tired and I ended up under the desk." The demon sounded near to tears again surprising Holland who had never seen the other man cry.

"Your head hurts?" Holland asked and Gilbert nodded slipping both hands up into his hair pulling at it.

"I feel like it's going to explode and I'm just so hungry."

"Do you want me to bring you food?"

"Not for food Holland." Gilbert snapped and the demon lord blinked again.

"You're feeding again…how long?"

"I don't know." Gilbert moaned closing his eyes again pressing back further under his desk. "Can you shut that God damn window please?"

Holland stood slowly walking to the window pulling the curtain all the way closed before coming back and sitting again.

"Who have you been feeding from? Ivan?"

"Yes." Gilbert whispered his face relaxing a little now that the room was completely dark.

"Are you tired Gilbert?" Holland asked chewing at his lip thinking something over.

"I'm tired all the time lately. I don't know what's wrong with me, but when I lay down at night I can't sleep worth a damn."

"Come here. You can feed from me." Holland watched as Gilbert's glowing red eyes opened looking needy.

"Really?"

"You need it." Holland replied with a shrug. "I bet it will help you sleep."

"I'm trying to stay up so I'm tired tonight and can sleep." Gilbert replied crawling forward like a starving man out from under his desk and onto Holland lap.

"I bet you will be ready to sleep after you eat Gilbert. Sleeping will help your headache go away."

Gilbert made a moaning noise like the idea please him his mouth hovering over Holland neck before pressing down.

The demon drank greedily slurping and sucking and moaning like he hadn't been feed in ages. Holland relaxed placing a hand on the back of Gilberts head keeping him steady. "Easy Gilbert. Slow down or you will make yourself sick." He whispered and slowly the blood drinking demon eased back drinking in slow steady gulps before he pulled back panting.

Holland sighed shaking his head placing his hands on Gilberts face drawing his attention. "How do you feel?" He asked.

"Better…Tired." Gilbert replied looking slightly dazed. Holland stood slowly easing Gilbert off his lap and walking to the bed pulling of the comforter and two pillows tossing them back under the desk Gilbert was in the process of forcing himself back under. "Relax." Holland said squatting down and pulling the covers over Gilbert's weary frame. "Go to sleep Gilbert. You will feel better when you wake up and the night falls.

Gilbert drifted off while Holland sat and watched him making the demon lord sigh softly before standing and exiting the room.

"Tino." Holland called entering the dining room.

"Sir you're bleeding." Sebastian said stunned meeting him half way but Holland brushing him off. "I'm fine. Tino, I need you to help me with something."

The small demon frowned tilting his head standing from the table. "What's happened?" He asked.

"I just want to confirm something is all." Holland replied evasively as Mathias walked closer looking at the other demon lord's bitten neck. "He bite you?" Mathias asked frowning before leaning down and running his tongue up the mark. Matthew watched impassively but Alfred jumped from the table. "What the hell!" He yelled making everyone look at him. "Is he with him too?"

Mathias, Norge, Holland and Matthew all scowled before giving a resounding "NO."

"B-but he…he…"

"Licked him." Matthew supplied smiling ruefully at his poor panicked brother.

"YES."

Holland and Mathias looked at each other before shaking their heads. "Why do angels make everything so sexual?" Holland asked tilting his head and Matthew blushed remembering when he first arrived and thought very much along the same lines as his twin.

"Habit." Matthew replied with a shrug. "Why did Gilbert bite you?"

Holland sighed. "Alright, come on. He is out and if I'm right he won't wake up anyway so come on we can all go take a look and you can all give me your opinions." The whole room shifted heading for the stairs and Alfred hung back before Holland looked at him. "Come on boy. Time for your demon lesson of the day."

Alfred flushed scowling walking close to Matthew pouting. Nearing the room Holland placed a finger to his lips to keep quiet and pushed the door open listening a moment before flicking the light on and walking in. The group of eleven people piled into the room before Holland squatted down before the desk and looked under it. The Mathias and Su sat on the bed and Norge dropped down next to Mathias as Ludwig and a frowning Felciano took one end and Ice took the other. Sebastian hunched down next to Holland with a blank look on his face as he looked the sleeping Gilbert over. Matthew hung back with Alfred, close enough to see far enough to be at ease.

"Whats wrong with him?" Ludwig asked softly.

"I'm not sure." Holland replied equally as soft and Ludwig frowned harder at whatever it was he heard in Holland's mind. "Tino can you look him over please. A full body exam please."

The frowning demon knelt on the floor blinking twice to clear his vision looking at the sleeping demon. Everyone was quiet as Tino worked frowning harder as his eyes scanned. Gilbert was tucked up under the desk sleeping soundly chin on his chest head leaning partly against the pillow he was clinging to under his comforter. If Matthew had to be honest with himself it looked more like the man was dead then sleeping.

"Tino?" Holland asked firmly and the boy frowned harder.

"I'm sorry I was running a double check." Tino replied softly.

"Analysis?"

"His body is completely healed." The blond said softly still looking the shadow demon over. "Angel wings not withstanding of coarse…but they are healing." He sounded confused by this fact and glanced at Holland before jerking his eyes away quickly back at Gilbert. "They have a few more ligaments then the last time I checked him over and the muscle is rebuilding and the skin is even growing in patches…" Tino frowned harder still making an annoyed noise placing the heel of his hand against his temple like he was trying to concentrate. "Ludwig please stay out of my head while I have my eyes open."

"His eyes are always open." Alfred muttered and Matthew bit back a smile. "It's his power Alfred. Like your energy and my ability to make people forget. When he says 'his eyes are open' he means he is seeing inside Gilberts body and assessing it for damage." He whispered back and Alfred frowned obviously not knowing demons had power similar to angels.

"My problem is that he is too healed. After everything we just went through he should still be banged up from at the very least his journey. His legs show no signs of muscle tears or joint swelling. Not even a residual mark from his face bruises from when they hit him. Su can look with his eyes on the surface if you want, but I'm mildly positive you will find no flaw on him."

"Why would his legs have muscle tears?" Alfred asked in an indoor voice making every one flinch at the sudden change of volume when everyone else was whispering.

"Your muscles are always tearing and re-healing from use. Gilbert has travels far on foot these past few days so he should have some but he doesn't. It's like he is completely healthy." Tino replied softlylooking up at Alfred with slightly glowing violet blue eyes before looking away again.

"Why is this bad thing?" Alfred asked grudgingly lowering his voice hand on his hip.

"Because human, demon, or angel no one heals that fast." Holland replied looking back at Tino. "Tell me more of what you see."

"All of his internal rates are wrong….Blood flow, heart, breathing, digestive system it's all…very very slow."

"Is that why his chest isn't moving?" Feliciano asked weakly and Tino nodded whispering a yes not looking up but pressing a hand to his head again glaring at the floor. "Get out of my head." He snaps forcefully and Ludwig looks startled. "I will tell you all I know. I don't like it when you're in my head I can't think… I know you are worried but please." He added gently at the end.

"As I was saying it's like his body is shutting down. His core temperature has dropped dramatically too which worries me."

"Is he dying?" Ivan asked from the door way startling everyone speaking the question everyone was thinking.

"No…I would say it's more like…hibernation." Tino said the word unsurely eyes still trailing over Gilbert. "Like his body is settling in for a long sleep."

"Yes well fourteen hours is quite a while to sleep for a demon…especially for Gilbert. He normally runs between three to six hours. That is over double his normal long sleeps. " Holland replied distractedly.

"Fourteen hours?" Ludwig repeated frowning.

"The amount of time of daylight…" Alfred said looking at the sleeping demon with mild interest now as Ivan waked further into the room looking at everyone there. "Can be anywhere between 10 to 14 hours and twenty minutes between sunrise to sunset depending on the time of year."

Matthew looked at his twin surprised who only shrugged back at him giving no explanation for having such knowledge.

"Why would he sleep all day?" Ludwig asked growing more irritated.

"Day is the wrong word for it. More like until the sun is down." Holland replied. "…He was irritated by the sunlight when I came in earlier…"

"You have a theory Holland. Give it to us." Mathias butted in drawing Holland's confused looking amber gaze.

"Not a plausible one. Just…" He looks down frowning at Gilbert again. "It's irrational to even think it…They're not real."

"You don't think he-"

"No…No it's just not possible." Holland replied cutting a startled Mathias off.

"Anyone wanna explain to the none demon what's going on?" Alfred asked.

"They think Gilberts becoming a Vampire." Tino spoke up looking rather shaken before blinking his eyes twice, the glowing in them going out before he slumped tiredly. Su knelt by him pulling the smaller male into his arms.

"They're just myths." Norge cut in.

"There are stories." Feliciano protested looking horrified. "Stories are always based on fact somewhere."

"It can't be possible!" Mathias said shaking his head.

"Vampires are real." Sebastian said softly finally speaking up after watching Gilbert in silence for a long while. "They are rare. I have not seen one in a very long time…"

Everyone was quiet then before Ivan spoke. "I thought he was a fallen Da?"

"He is." Holland replied wearily eyeing Ivan who rolled his eyes back at the demon Lord.

"Then how can he be turning into a vampire? Vampires only come from demon blood and his isn't pure one way or the other." Ivan asked.

"I don't know it's just a theory." Holland replied sighing going quiet again. "What are we going to do?" he asked. "He is not well. This…"

"Transformation" Sebastian replied.

"Is obviously not going to be easy on him and we know nothing but rumors and myths."

"I have an idea." Alfred said softly crossing his arms and pouting like he wasn't sure if he should help or not. "But you're not gonna like it."

Review please?


	33. break

Arthur sat still looking over the pale frame of the sleeping fallen angel before him. They had ten minutes till sunset and he was eager to speak with then man he was brought in to see.

Everyone was tense all day while they waited for the Angels arrival at Alfred's insistence that he could help. 'He knows everything about mythical shit Mattie! Let me send for him.'

Francis was forced down from his blubbering state of happiness at the news of Gilberts health and that Arthur was coming but mostly because Joan headed back home for the night.

No one wanted to leave Ivans room watching the man under the desk wearily like they were afraid he would stop breathing all together at any minute so they spent most of the day there pacing and speaking softly.

"What do you think?" Alfred asked dropping on his ass next to his lover.

"I think he is still sleeping and you are being nosy." Arthur replied not batting an eye. "I also think Mister Williams, You, Mister Bonnefoy, and Mister Braginski and I all need to have a little chat after I am done here," All four angels shuttered as startling green eyes looked up glancing over each of them each in turn. "about how to conduct yourselves outside of heaven."

Holland made an 'opps you're in trouble' look at Matthew who had to stifle a laugh as Arthur went back to looking at Gilbert.

"This…is indeed a vampire." Arthur finally spoke up.

"But he was an angel Arty. How is that possible?" Alfred asked pouting.

"It's a misconception that only demons become Vampires." Arthur replied reaching a hand forward touching Gilberts forehead. "He is warming already." He muttered more to himself glancing at the time. "Did he feed on blood as an angel?"

"Yes." Feliciano spoke up and Arthur nodded. "More than likely he has been mid-change for quite some time. His recent…binge drinking" He paused looking disapprovingly at Ivan who smiled and shrugged. "has caused his body to start the change again. Why did he stop?"

"Stop what?" Holland asked crossing his arms standing back a little to give Arthur room.

"Feeding? You told me when I arrived he stopped feeding for a rather lengthy amount of time. It would have been torture for him." Arthur replied looking up at the demon lord nonplussed.

"They killed his lovers."

"Lovers?"

"He had two."

"Hum…And he blamed the feedings for their death?"

"Something like that."

Arthur nodded again checking the time. "A rational decision for a broken mind. Starvation was his repenting."

"He's not broken." Ivan cut in.

"On the contrary. No one can stand the loss of a lover without being broken in some way. He is about to wake up." Just as the words left his mouth Gilberts eyes opened completely by passing the waking slowly stage to total alertness.

Red eyes scanned the room slowly. "What's going on?" He asked.

"You were in deep sleep." Arthur said drawing Gilberts gaze.

"Who are you?"

"Arthur."

He sat quietly a moment looking over the nervous faces in the room again. "Why are you here?"

"Your friends asked me to come."

"Because I won't settle down in a monogamous relationship?" Gilbert asked. "Little extreme guys."

"Because you're sleeping under a desk and growing increasingly more agitated every day. Your sleep habits are off and you have been wearing long sleeves outside every time you go out and the sun is giving you headaches. Did I miss anything?"

"You can tell me why I want to sleep under desks?" Gilbert asked smiling cockily.

"The space is small, confined giving you a sense of protection. It's made of wood keeping you tied to earth and hidden from the light. It makes you feel safe in a world where suddenly everything is off kilter." Arthur said evenly not looking away from Gilbert who suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"There is nothing wrong with me and it's creeping me out that all these people were watching me sleep."

"No there is nothing wrong with you but you are going through a change and you know it. You can feel it but you don't know what it is."

"Stop talking to me like I'm an idiot." Gilbert snapped. "Speak plain oh great one they called it to be my shrink."

"You're becoming a vampire." Arthur replied shrugging.

"You're off your fucking rocker." Gilbert replied back with a laugh. "Is this some fucking joke?" he asked looking around at the nervous faces around him.

"You're hungry aren't you?"

"Fuck off." Gilbert growled coming out from under his makeshift bed and standing upright. "I'm not here to play games. You all fucking suck."

"Aren't you starving?" Arthur pressed on.

"Cut it out."

"You slept all day you know."

"I was tired."

"You woke as soon as the sun was down."

"Who cares."

"You are one of handful of a very rare species Gilbert. You need to hear about your kind." Arthur insisted standing and glaring, not to be messed with.

"Ok." Gilbert growled starting to pace. "Let's say for one second I believe your crazy ass. Tell me something only a vampire would know."

"That's impossible as I am not a vampire myself." Arthur scowled.

"Then tell me why this is happening!" He yelled startling himself not having meant to get so angry.

"Your temper is raising because your body is hungry and needs blood. If you don't eat right after you wake you will only become more and more annoyed until you are forced to eat."

"That's never happened before."

"Because this is your first deep sleep." Gilbert started pacing slowly hands running through his hair.

"Gilbert." Holland said reaching for him.

"Don't touch me." he snapped bearing his teeth.

"Vampires are not made like the myths say." Arthur continued in a slow calming voice. "They are born. When you first created it was already in your DNA that you would change. It takes time though. You felt it even as an angel didn't you. When you feed from your lovers."

"Don't talking about them." Gilbert growled pacing faster.

"The change stopped though when they died and you stopped eating. Now though your body is getting more than enough blood. It kick started the change but you had no one to guide you so your body is unsure what to do, when to sleep, when to eat, how to heal. The sun hurts and your temper is growing shorter and shorter and people keep demanding things from you. Relationships and to calm down and forget your past and live in the now right. All you want to do is rest and you keep having to move and run and your poor body is under too much stress already. I am a little surprised you haven't killed someone yet."

Gilbert snorted at that body growing still watching Arthur carefully. "Why do you know so much?"

"Supernatural is my specialty." He replied.

Everyone was quiet and Gilbert ran his hands through his hair sighing. "Why does the sun hurt?"

"Soon you won't be able to stand it at all. Vampires have always been night creatures."

"Why am I hungry all the time?"

"Your body needs copious amounts of blood to make this change. You won't always be that way."

"Garlic?"

"Not true."

"Mirrors?"

"Not true either."

"Why do people say that then?"

"Vampires started those rumors on their own to protect themselves. Humans fear them. Angels and demons dislike anything that doesn't fall in their cookie cutter way of life and vampires are unbelievably strong so it makes them nervous."

"Lots of Demons drink blood." Gilbert said scowling. "Why is my blood drinking any different?"

"I told you prat. You were born to be a vampire."

Gilbert was still for a second looking Arthur over with hard eyes. "What if I stop?"

Arthur tilted his head. "Stopped what?"

"Drinking. Feeding. Whatever you call it. What if I don't do the blood thing anymore? Would the change stop again?" Gilbert asked waving his hand on his hip.

The angel shook his head with a sigh. "You would stay as you are right now. Agitated, sun giving you head aches and unable to sleep. Your hunger is more pronounced now, so I don't even know if it is possible for you to make yourself stop."

"You can't Gilbert!" Tino said shocked watching shadow demon roll the idea through his head. "Your body can't handle it."

"My body feels fine." He snapped making the smaller demon flinch back.

"What the boy is trying to tell you is your body will start to break down. Without the blood supply it needs to keep itself at its current health level it will try and use your own blood until there is nothing left."

"I'll die?" Gilbert questioned wide eyed as demons and angel alike shifted un comfortably around him. Ludwig let out a soft no an Francis took a step towards him that he waved of not looking away from the short angel before him.

"Die is the wrong word." Arthur replied slowly trying to decide the best way to make the stubborn demon before him understand the severity of the situation. "You will lose muscle mass to the point that you won't be able to carry your own weight, it won't take long you are a thin thing." Gilbert refused to back down frowning harder.

"After that your will wither unable to even open your eyes as your skin shrivels and tightens as your body sucks all the nutrition out of your organs that it can to keep the vampire process going. Then when there is no more blood left in you will go into a deep sleep and you will stay that way until someone feeds you."

"Why wouldn't I just die?" Gilbert snaps.

"Vampires can't die." Arthur replies evenly. "Both and advantage and a disadvantage I suppose."

"Arthur maybe we-" Matthew tried to cut in seeing the panic starting to set in on Gilbert about this new information."

"Shut up!" the albino growled bearing his teeth at Matthew who jerked back and hissed nervously back at him as Holland grabbed Matthews shoulders to both protect him and hold him back. "You just said I can't go in the sun. if I won't die what will happen to me."

"Your body will burn. You will turn to ash and if you are strong enough you will reform fully when night falls. If you are not strong enough you will take a few nights to reform. It's painful so I am told so I wouldn't suggest it." Arthur sighed popping on hip to the side glancing around the room growing tired of arguing with the irritated man. "Will you please just eat so you calm down? I don't deal well with annoying things."

"Only Alfred." Francis said chuckling making Matthew hold back an inappropriate laugh as both the American and Brit glared at the longer haired blond.

"I'm not hungry." Gilbert muttered automatically chewing at his lip.

"Gil-" Ivan started weakly feeling the size of an ant not knowing how to help.

"You shut the fuck up." Gilbert snapped and shadows pulled up from a corner of the room stretching across the floor.

'He is afraid of Ivan'. Matthew thought in surprise. 'It's fight or flight when the bigger man speaks to Gilbert. Why? Is it all these people?' Matthew looked at the large group, all eyes on Gilbert and the giant angel who was trying to get closer without making the shadow demon flee.

"Arthur." Matthew spoke up weakly before clearing his throat and trying again pushing his glasses nervously up his nose. "Arthur, maybe we can continue this downstairs? We can take a quick break make some dinner let Gilbert get used to all this information you gave him and when he's ready we can continue?"

All eyes were on Matthew now making him swallow, not sure what to think of all the attention as he pressed back a little into Holland. "It's just…we have all been thought a tough couple of days." He said eyes trailing over the group really taking in all their bandages and bruises. "It would be nice just to maybe start a bon fire or something and just take a minute to relax?"

No one spoke a moment and Arthur glanced around the room taking in their beaten and battered bodies.

Grant it now that everyone was clean, had a decent night's sleep, and were healing do to a massive amount of licking a sucking and biting, that Matthew did his best to not think about, they were all looking much better than the day before but they were still a bit of a mess. "Very well then." The shaggy haired blond replied softly as if just realizing that the large group was not exactly at top health. "That sounds like a jolly good idea."

"Alright. Everybody let's move this party outdoors." Holland said speaking up backing him and Matthew into the hall first. "Sebastian can you direct Mathias to the fire pit out back and then gather some food we can cook over the fire?"

"Very good sir." Sebastian replied bowing a little a slight smile on his face as Holland's arms wrapped comfortably around Matthews hips holding the man's back to his front. The angel went tense for only a moment when he noticed Arthur and Alfred looking at him so he forced himself to relax. "You asshole." Matthew muttered through a fake smile tilting his head to the side as Holland chuckled nuzzling the blonde's neck. "Gotta take my openings when I get um. When else could I hold you like this?" Holland replied nipping at the angel's ear. "Tell your people to play nice while I go lecture mine and we will meet outside." He whispered as demons filled out of the room leaving the angels.

"Aye aye captian." Matthew replied sarcastically pulling out of his 'lovers?' arms heading for thr bedroom before he got a swift slap on the ass.

"See you outside." Holland called retreating quickly with a wink.

'I'll kill him.' Matthew thought suppressing his glower as he walked his was back into the bedroom and smiled. "So um…"

"That is what you're sleeping with?" Arthur asked sounding disapproving.

"Well we never slept-"

"They share a bed!" Alfred cut in looking at Arthur like he was begging the man to cut in and put an end to the shenanigans.

"Yes but we haven't-"

"Alfred that is none of your business who Mathieu is having sex with!" Francis cut in hands on his hips frowning.

"I've never-"

"It damn sure is! Mattie is to inexperience to be messing around with demons!" Alfred insisted.

"But I-"

"And a powerful one at that." Arthur added with a sigh. "Honestly what were you thinking?"

"It wasn't like I planned-"

"He has been bitten!" Alfred added and Arthurs startled green eyes blinked comically.

"That was-"

"Still none of your business comrade." Ivan spoke up. "It's personal to Matvy, like yours and Arthurs relationship"

"Yes but I'm not ashamed of-"

"My word!" Arthur said alarmed by Ivan's statement not knowing anyone knew about him an Alfred. "That's different!" Alfred burst out turning red. "I was never forced into it!"

"I wasn't forced-"

"Holland is a good man! You don't even know him. He never forced Mathieu into anything!" Francis cut in.

"I can speak for myse-"

"You're biased because you are friends with these dirty things!" Alfred hissed back at Francis. "You saw the way he paws at Matthew! He just marked him so he could keep him trapped here so he can fuck him!"

"ENOUGH!" Matthew yelled surprising the group of angels. "First off I can speak for my damn self and I HAVE NEVER HAD SEX WITH HOLLAND!" He said exasperated throwing his hands up in the air. "We share a bed if that's any of your business which, it's not. Second I didn't plan on having anything with him it just kinda happened and when it did I didn't think I had to run it by any of you, I'm not a child!" Matthew looked at his four friends a frown fixed firmly on his face.

"Third! Yes I have been bitten and no I wasn't forced into it, he asked me. Partly your guys business, but I have told you before that I had no problem with it so drop it!" he snapped directly at Alfred who ducked his head a little. "And if any of you ever call them dirty things again I will break you jaw with my halo you understand me?" Matthew asked scanning the chagrinned group. "Those are my friends. My people. So um…can we all just be polite and mingle with them?" He asked losing steam. He never yelled at any of these people before. He was the quiet one everyone was always forgetting not the loud one making demands.

"Wow Mattie…You've gotten ballsy since living here." Alfred said softly trying to break the ice.

"Sorry." He said shyly blushing a little lowering his head.

"It's alright lad…surprising…but alright. We will all behave but I do wish to have a chat with your…boyfriend?" Arthur raised an eyebrow at the term and Matthew blinked in surprise. Was Holland his boyfriend?

Review?


	34. relax

The party, if that's what it could be called, came together quickly. Mathias and Su gathered mass amounts of wood to burn, Sebastian brought out camp fire food to cook over the open flame, and Francis found wine somewhere and poured it liberally for everyone.

People were laughing. His angels mingled with his demons, though it took them a little time to warm up to each other. Arthur got along strangely well with Norge, it seemed the two of them were both amazingly superstitious. Alfred seemed a little lost for a while not sure how to react but Mathias seemed to be keeping him entertained for the time being. Telling him stories of how he claimed his house back in the day. Alfred loved old war stories and the rowdy lord demon was more than happy to share his experiences. Tino, Ice, Su and Francis were talking about some girl Francis met and Holland was currently talking with Ludwig and a smiling Feliciano about something Matthew couldn't hear. Much to his relief it seemed Gilbert and Ivan had slipped off together an hour ago. The two couldn't keep their eyes off each other.

Matthew chewed at his lip half listening to Mathias tell his story and Alfred laughed and encouraged him to go on. He hadn't had a chance to be with just Holland yet. People milled about changing groups and such, but it always seemed someone was calling for his attention or Holland's, keeping the two of them on separate sides of the fire pit.

Holland caught him staring and sent him a wink before going back to his conversation making Matthew blush.

Something was changing.

Matthew could feel it in the air. This party was the end of something he just couldn't place his finger on what. Or maybe it was the start it was so hard to tell the difference sometimes.

"Mathias?" Tino's tentative voice startled Matthew out of his thoughts making him look down at the obviously nervous man.

"Tino?" Mathias replied tilting his head. "What is it?"

"Ah well…Su and I have been talking…" Everyone's conversations died down. This was it Matthew realized. This was the start of the change that Matthew had been feeling all night. Su and Tino were finally moving on from their group to start their own and Mathias could either let them go or break them so badly they couldn't leave. Suddenly Matthew wished he was standing a little further away.

"And well…" Tino took a deep breath and steeled himself before looking up with hard eyes. "We were thinking that Holland has gotten a lot of guests recently and there really just isn't enough room for everyone. Almost everyone is doubled up already and now we have two more arrivals and I know Ice is waiting for the person in his vision to come and that's one more so we thought we would be willing to give up our room."

Matthew hadn't thought about it before but ran through the rooms quickly in his head. Him and Holland had one. Su and Tino in another. Ludwig and Feliciano. Mathias had his own and Ice had his own while Norge alternated which one he slept in, so that was five rooms taken already. Then Francis had his own room and Ivan had one that Gilbert may or may not be staying in but when he didn't he slept on the couch. And Sebastian stayed in the only down stairs bedroom so they really were out of room unless Norge stopped room hopping and Ice bunked with Francis, which would never happen, freeing up a room for Alfred and Arthur.

Then again Arthur and Alfred could sleep on the couches, baring Gilbert having a tantrum and coming down to sleep on them, but Holland wouldn't allow that. As the Lord of the house he would probably offer up his own room for them, making him and Matthew take the couches but Alfred wouldn't stand for that either. Then it would end up being him and Alfred in the room while Holland and Arthur took the couches but Matthew would just die thinking about all the questions Arthur would bombard Holland with and lord only knew how Holland would answer them. So no that was out too.

Maybe he could beg Francis to share with Arthur, even though those two never really got along, in the name of all that was good in the world to just spare him the horror of leaving Holland and Arthur alone together. Oh shit but what if Gilbert goes to Francis room because the couches were full and he's fighting with Ivan again and then there is nowhere to put Arthur because Ivan and him would kill each other arguing about Gilbert and how to handle a vampire and then-

"I was just thinking about this." Mathias replied smiling widely forcing Matthew to stop running scenario's through his head. "Are you going to the house then?"

"No." Tino replied his will wavering slightly nervousness back in his eyes. Su went to step towards him but Tino waved him off quickly not looking back. Mathias was silent a moment his blue eye looking over the shorter demon before him before looking at the taller glasses wearing man standing a little ways back. In that instant, standing that close, Matthew saw the crazy Holland had told him Mathias possessed. It flashed though his eyes for only and second, but Matthew saw. Mathias wanted to beat them into submission.

Then just as quickly as it was there, it was gone again and Mathias was smiling widely running a hand through the back of his head. "Well good, because you're not welcome there." He said with a wink making Tino blink rapidly in surprise. "Are you two traveling?"

"Yes." Tino answered in a whisper obviously not expecting this outcome.

"That should be fun. There is much to see." Mathias was nodding more to himself then the boy he was talking to struggling to keep his smile on his face. "I have been meaning to tell you, there is a house down on the west side of my land. You have seen it once I think. It's not very big but if you want it, it's yours."

"Mathias?" Su spoke up frowning and the bigger man waved him off.

"I'm giving it to you is what I mean. It and the land ten miles around it is all yours weather you move there or not I won't set foot on it unless you invite me." He added with an even bigger forced smile.

"Oh Mathias…" Tino breathed out in shock before he launched himself forward into the demon lords arms half laughing half sobbing. Mathias caught him wincing more from emotional pain then physical as he held him close. "You keep an eye on Su for me Tino. You know how rowdy he gets." Tino laughed at the joke pulling back and wiping at his eyes.

"Of course." He replied as SU finally walked up and Mathias shook his hand.

"It's about time you two left me alone." He teased. "I was getting tired of you hanging around like that."

"It's been a pleasure living with you." Su replied and Mathias rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to lie to me. But I will tell you this, anything bad happens to either of you because you left to early from my house and I will beat you to death myself ok." Mathias smile took on a creepy edge that reminded Matthew of Ivan before it was gone replaced by that forced one again. "This is a time for celebration! Holland we need more wine! My people are all growing up so fast!"

"I'll go get some." Holland said with a pleased looking smile on his own face heading for the house.

"When will you be leaving?" Sebastian asked politly.

"Tonight." Su replied with a firm nod.

"We were hoping to camp under the stars and tonight is such a perfect night for it. We can walk till we are tired and then just camp out." Tino added clutching Su's arm nearly jumping for joy at their freedom.

"Be carful you don't camp in someone else's territory." Mathias said frowning at the idea.

"We know Mathias." Tino replied dutifully as Holland brought out more wine pouring everyone some more before Mathias took the bottle taking a big gulp to calm his own nerves.

"You're doing good." Holland said softly to the other demon lord who nodded too quickly.

"What was that all about?" Alfred asked in a stage whisper making Matthew wince and pull him to the side. "Ok we're gonna do this slow ok. Tino and Su lived with Mathias. He is their Lord."

"Like God?" Alfred asked looking perplexed.

"No, like their king." Matthew replied huffing a sigh wondering if he was this dence to when he first arrived and knowing the answer was yes. "Mathias protects them an in return the work for him. Got it?"

"So far I guess."

"Well Tino and Su are Married."

"They're both men." Alfred cut in pulling a face making Matthew sigh and hold up his hand.

"In their eyes they are married and have marked each other. Do you understand demon marks? Like what it means to them?"

"Sorta they were trying to explain it. Something to do with protection and all that?"

"Yes right! Ok so now that those two have protection over themselves they don't need Mathias any more understand. You see where I am going with this?"

"So…Their king doesn't want them to leave?"

"Right."

"Why is he letting them then?"

"Because now that they protect themselves they have the right to leave or at least fight for the right and he is not fighting them because he knows they are safe enough with each other now."

"So it's kinda like graduating?" Alfred said thoughtfully looking at the group. "These demons are a little more complex than I thought."

Matthew smiled at that relaxing a little now that that was out of the way and ushered his brother back over to be supervised by Arthur for a while as he followed Sebastian into the house. "Can I help you with anything?" He asked rubbing the back of his head feeling the slight buzz he had from the drinks.

"I'm just putting together some packs for Su and Tino." The butler replied with a kind smile before pulling out a seat for Matthew and getting him a glass of water. "It must be nerve racking seeing your people all mixed together like that."

Matthew nodded and sipped at his water. "To be honest I followed you in the house for a break." He said with a half-smile. "I'm always afraid someone is going to say something to set someone else off."

Sebastian chuckled as he packed up a couple sandwiches in bags and started to fill canines with water. "Yes we felt quite the same when you first arrived. Here's some more water child."

Matthew made a sheepish face glancing at the black skinned man who just smiled back as he took the empty cup from the angel. "I was horrible when I first lived with you. Can you forgive me?"

"Oh my dear boy, there is nothing to forgive. You were scared and surrounded by things you didn't understand. I have seen people react worse. Drink your water you have been drinking your wine to fast."

Matthew smiled at the parenting he was receiving from the butler and swallowed a little more water from his new cup. He watched in silence as the man expertly packed bags with snacks, food, water and blankets. "Little master." Matthew blinked open his eyes quickly not realizing he'd been drifting to sleep. "I'm going to tidy up Su and Tino's room to get it ready for your friends. Perhaps you should retire for the evening? You were up rather early and it is getting late."

"No I want to see the boys off before they go. Who knows when I will see them again." The angel replied standing Sebastian grabbed his arm to keep him upright as he stumbled a little. Matthew blinked in surprise. His head felt fuzzier now than it did when he sat down like he'd drank more wine instead of water. "Sorry Sebastian…I think I drank more than I thought."

"It's quite alright sir."

"There you are. I was looking all over for you." Holland said walking into the room. Matthew blinked up at the man's bigger frame and made a noise he hadn't meant to in the back of his throat. Holland looked huge in his cloudy mind. Was the demon always that tall or was he shrinking? Oh no he was sitting again that's why. Sebastian must have helped him back into his chair when he stumbled earlier. "You alright?" The man asked tilting his head to the side.

The little angel could only nod. Holland looked at Sebastian who shrugged innocently. "Well…Su and Tino are about to take off I thought you would like to say goodbye?"

"Oh yes." Matthew said trying to stand again finding far more difficult than it should be and he had to laugh at himself as Holland pulled him upright looking both concerned and amused. "Here you are Holland give these to the boys for me will you." Holland nodded taking the bags still looking at Matthew who was still chuckling mostly to himself. "You drank too much." He admonished as he lead the smaller man out of the kitchen to the outside.

Sebastian watched them go in silence before sighing. "You meddle too much." Arms wrapped around his shoulders from behind as a chest pressed to his back and the others fingers ran little trails across his stomach.

"Mind your own business Adam." Sebastian sighed feeling the angel lay his head against his shoulder.

"You wound me."

"You're a child."

"Hardly I'm nearly as old as you."

"What do you want?"

Adam sighed unwrapping himself from around Sebastian walking towards the table picking up Matthews glass of water. A little swirled in the bottom, barley a quarter of a glass left. "Just came to watch. I get bored sometimes. You know it's rude to change the water into wine after he's gone and drank it already. It's like cheating. He didn't even stand a chance."

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "That's rich, coming from you. Go play somewhere else."

Adam snorted tilting the glass back to drink the rest of the water before it disintegrated before reaching his mouth. He lowered the glass slowly looking at Sebastian in annoyance who scowled right back at him before he through the cup at the sink smashing it. "Have fun Sebastian. I'll go play elsewhere." The angel disappeared just as quickly as he came and Sebastian sighed. He'd be back after he was done sulking. He always comes back. Sebastian thought to himself as he picked up a rag and started to collect the glass shards. There was no Adam without Sebastian. And no Sebastian without Adam.

Review?


	35. mornings

Matthew made it outside only with Holland's help and hugged Tino close making the small demon laugh and hug him back. "You'll come visit us sometime won't you." Tino whispered and Matthew nodded to quickly making his head spin again. Tino laughed again and Matthew pulled Su into a manly hug before letting him go as both of them fixed their glasses and he smile widely.

"Thank you…for helpin me and you know being nice to me even though I tried to kill you both."

"Nothing like a good fight to make a bond." Su said softly and Matthew smiled a little more taking a stumbling step back feeling light headed as Holland grabbed his arm.

"I'm gonna get him to bed." He said offering his free hand to Su before hugging Tino with one arm. "Enjoy your travels. I will send word before Matthew and I come visit your new home. I have a few servants who would be willing to come work for you once you get settled."

"You're too kind." Tino said squeezing him tight before going back to Su's side with their backpacks.

"Alright everyone. We're headed to bed. Arthur, Sebastian will show you to your room when you and Alfred are ready to retire. Just let him know when you get tired and he will take you straight away." Alfred looked like he wanted to protest at Matthew going to bed with Holland, but Arthur muttered a sharp 'hush' over his shoulder at the angry man keeping his eyes locked with Holland's. "I will thank you."

Holland nodded at them before giving Mathias a reassuring smile before leading Matthew back inside. The angel stumbled up the first two stairs and Holland sighed scooping him up in his arms making the man shriek a laugh clinging to the demon afraid he would fall.

Holland chuckled softly teleporting them up the stairs. "I wouldn't drop you." He said softly walking them to their room pushing the door open with his hip and closing it with his foot before gently setting Matthew on the bed.

"Can you get ready for bed?" He asked pulling a shirt and shorts out of the dresser setting them on the bed.

"I got it." Matthew said sitting up working at his shirt with a frown getting tangle up in it falling back on the bed laughing again.

"You're so plastered baby." Holland chuckled walking over working the top off and taking his glasses leaving him bare from the waist up as they looked at each other a moment before Holland knelt on the floor working off Matthew's pants nuzzling his belly. "I like this blond peach fuzz you have down here." He murmured placing a kiss on it and Matthew made a strangled noise lacing his fingers in Holland's hair.

The demon lord sighed knowing he could probably go all the way with Matthew this messed up but pushed the thought away lifting his head and pulling the pants all the way down followed by the underwear before standing. "You're pretty cute you know…for an angel." He teased and Matthew giggled again drifting towards sleep lying naked and sprawled across the bed. Holland sighed running a hand threw his hair before grabbing the pajama shorts and working them up Matthew's legs. "Butt up please."

"Oh come one what kind of pick up line is that?" Matthew muttered arching his hips off the bed anyway letting Holland slip the pants all the way on. "I know you can do better than that. Use some of your demon charm."

"You think I'm charming?" Holland asked smiling as Matthew peeked his eyes open scowling.

"Only the blind, deaf, and dumb could find you anything but charming." The demon lord chuckled and helped Matthew sit up as he slipped the shirt over his head and helped him work his arms through the correct sleeves.

"There you are." Holland whispered more to himself then the worn out angel letting him lay back again before taking his own clothes off.

"Holland?"

"Hum?"

"What are we?"

Holland paused at that and looked at Matthew who was looking right back at him. "What do you mean?" He asked

"Are you my boyfriend?" The angel asked point blank, blushing a little, though it could have been from the wine.

Holland hesitated a second. "Would you like me to be?"

"I don't know." Matthew replied voice so small Holland had the urge to pull him into his arms but resisted.

"We could be. If you like." Holland said slowly watching Matthew's wine haze eyes follow him as he walked across the room to his side of the bed.

"It sounds childish." Matthew muttered looking away suddenly. "It should be something like mates."

"Mates is a little too…much don't you think?" Holland asked reaching a hand over and brushing hair out of Matthews face with a smile. "You tell people we are mates and they would think we have been together for ages and that you are completely mine."

"I am completely yours." The angels replied as his face scrunched up in thought and he nodded. " It is too serious." He agreed trying to force his eyes open.

"We could just be together." Holland said gently playing with an end of his hair. "And worry about titles later."

"You don't want more?" Matthew asked looking at Holland worriedly and the demon lord chuckled back feeling relaxed for the first time in days.

"I want whatever you are willing to give me little angel. Nothing more. Nothing less."

"You are a patient man." The angel murmured blushing a little, this time not from the wine.

"We have all the time in the heavens and hells I'm in no hurry."

~!#$%^&*()_+~!#$%^&*()_+

Matthew woke with the sun wrapped around Holland and with a pounding in his head that made him groan. Sighing he untangled himself slipped on his glasses and walked down out of the room down the stairs to the kitchen to find all the other angels and Sebastian cooking. Francis was whistling a tune softly but most of them looked as miserable as Matthew felt.

"Morning." Matthew muttered dropping down at the table and getting grunts of greeting from Alfred and Arthur and a snore from Ivan.

Romano glared at the sleeping man and kicked his shin from across the table making him jerk upright back into wakefulness. "Sorry excuse of an angel." The pissed little man said lowly. "Don't sleep at the table.

"His vampire probably kept him up all night." Arthur cut in looking mildly annoyed at the noise the two of them were making as he rubbed his temples. "Blood loss and sex make people tired."

"That's disgusting Arty." Alfred whined. "Totally not what we wanna hear at the table."

"I could say the same about you mon cher, only substitute table for my bed. These walls are not as thick as you think and you scream like a banshee. You kept me up half the night with your drunken sex."

Arthur sipped at the tea Sebastian set in front of him looking vaguely pleased with himself behind his fine china as Alfred turned ten shades of red and Romano rolled his eyes looking out the window as Ivan started to drift back to sleep. Matthew wanted to pound his head into the table until they all went away.

The sound of a glass being set in front of him made Matthew open his eyes again not sure when he shut them gazing at the black hand before him holding to white little pills. "For your head little master." Sebastian said gently as Matthew took the tablets with a relived sigh.

"Thank you Sebastian you are a God." Matthew replied tossing back the pills. The black skinned demon smiled like something was funny before he turned away to dish out plates of eggs, bacon, and toast.

"Is he gonna be like that every night?" Ivan asked blinking his tired eyes open again before rubbing at them and yawning. "He was very…vigorous. I don't know if I will be able to keep up."

"Gilbert?" Arthur asked setting his cup down to pick at his eggs. "No only till the change is complete then he will settle down a bit. You shouldn't try and keep the same schedule as him. It will only wear you out more and it is good that you are awake while he sleeps."

"Why?"

"The suns gonna burn him soon right." Alfred spoke up. "He's gonna need someone awake while he sleeps to watch out for him while he is unable to protect himself."

"Very good lad." Arthur said sounding surprised.

"Maybe intelligence is passed though sex." Francis teased taking his place at the table to eat his own food smiling widely at Arthur who rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Tell me do all your partners get dumber then?"

"Oh you wound me Arthur."

"How long do we plan on staying here?" Ivan asked and then suddenly everyone was looking at Matthew who blinked not used to his angel family seeing him let alone asking him anything. The glasses did help…wow.

"Um…well. That's really up to Holland." Matthew replied shyly. "But we did talk about staying a while letting the whole diseased demon thing have time to die down."

"Would he be against traveling?" Ivan asked rubbing at his eyes.

"I wouldn't suggest it until Gilbert is fully changed." Arthur cut in. "He has to travel strictly at night and have a place to sleep during the day."

"I'm not really sure I could ask him I guess. Why?" Matthew asked looking at the bigger angel who shrugged nonchalantly. "I know someone who may be able to help Romano and Feliciano." He replied before biting into his eggs as Romano's sharp eyes snapped towards him.

"How?" Francis asked glancing at the little angel in question.

Ivan chewed his food slowly leaving everyone hanging before he answered. "I know a man who works with old medicine. Very old medicine and knows much about the soul and its connections. He lives back where I'm from. I can't promise he can help but I thought it was worth mentioning."

"Don't tell Feliciano!" Romano hissed standing from the table making his chair screech across the floor.

"Why not? It would give him hope." Francis said shocked.

"False hope!" Romano growled. "We can go. We can see if your…friend can help us, but I don't want him to get his hopes up about being able to be alone with his stupid potato boyfriend only to have them crushed. It would devastate him you understand me." Romano pointed his fork daringly at Ivan who smiled his creepy smile back and Matthew stood drawing all their eyes.

"We won't mention it to Feliciano. Now sit down and eat your food. I will speak with Holland, Arthur and Mathias to see when is best with everything that is going on and we will set up a time frame for you. Ivan after breakfast perhaps you should lay down for a bit and get some rest that doesn't involve Gilbert rousing you for another round alright."

"I was gonna say just let them duke it out." Alfred said leaning back in his chair looking at Matthew like he was seeing something for the first time before his brother cleared his throat and sat again followed by Romano who looked mildly embarrassed.

"Compromise is always better. They are both just annoyed from drinking too much and lack of sleep." Matthew replied as Sebastian set a glass of juice in front of him with an approving smile.

A soft knock came at the back door before it was pushed open. Joan stepped in pushing the door shut behind her and pulling her hood down. "Oh it's really coming down out there." She said smiling politely at the group before going to give Sebastian a kiss on both cheeks before pulling off her wet hooded cloak hanging it on a peg and slipping her boots off. "You're up early Sebastian, I was hoping to get here and cook you breakfast for once."

"Oh sweet girl your adorable. I had to get up early to cook for the angels the young lord as acquired recently." Sebastian replied kissing her cheeks back before handing her a plate. "Sit eat. Then we can finish up the organizing."

"You are too kind to me." Joan said with a smile taking the plate and setting it on the table next to Francis. "The ground is all mud out there. My skirts are filthy." She complained looking down at the bottom of her deep green skirts; slit up the front the same as the one she wore the day before. Only this time underneath she had on black stalking's that covered her bare feet. She went to sit when suddenly everyman at the table stood and Francis pulled out her chair for her.

The golden haired woman paused a moment raising an eyebrow at Sebastian who shrugged back, before she giggled softly and took her seat. "Thank you. That was not necessary."

"Anything for you my lady." Francis said with flurry making her smile a mildly please smile before she looked down at her food and the men around her sat back down.

The men looked at her in awe. It wasn't often a female angel traveled alone. Especially in demon territory such as they were now. "I'm Joan by the way. Your neighbor for the time you spend here." She smiled politely again looking up from her food and the group blushed.

"Ah sorry. This is Arthur and Alfred. They're together." Francis said coming back to reality after trying to memorize everything about the beautiful petite woman before him.

Both men nodded. "Pleasure." Arthur said softly eyeing her suspiciously as Alfred openly gaped at her.

"The large man at the end of the table is Ivan."

"Gilberts lover." Sebastian cut in refilling peoples cups and Joan made an 'ah' sound nodding looking pleased with the information. "It was about time he settled down. Congratulations." She directed at Ivan who nodded slowly back at her trying to decide what he thought of the tiny little woman who didn't seem at all comfortable to be alone in a room of all men.

That's Romano and Feliciano depending on his mood." Francis said pointing out the Italian who blushed under Joan's gaze. She giggled and smiled at him making him pout back.

"Ludwig's missing lover and his brother." Sebastian cut in again and Joan's pretty blue eyes widened. "Oh." She whispered softly looking the other man a little more closely.

"Last we have Matthew."

Matthew smiled at Joan and she smiled back before they both started to go back to their meals when Sebastian spoke up again. "He's Holland's."

The woman looked up sharply at Sebastian in pure surprise before looking back at Matthew giving him a closer examination. "Well who would have thought it would have taken an angel." She said before reaching across the table to take his hands in hers. "Congratulations. Oh you just have to take care of him."

Matthew blushed bright red before a noise at the door drew all their attention. "Stop harassing my angel Joan." He grumbled sleepily walking further into the room hastily dressing in jeans and a tee-shirt.

"Why are you awake?" Matthew asked surprised.

"You left. I couldn't sleep knowing you were gone." Holland replied yawning again leaning down to wrap his arms around Matthew shoulders and burry his nose into the angels neck breathing deep. "Mmm. You smell good."

Matthew turned even brighter red knowing Alfred was probably ready to rip the demons head off and everyone else's eyes were on them. "Join us for breakfast." Matthew half squeaked.

"Join me back in our bedroom for a shower." Holland counteroffered nuzzling up his throat.

Matthew felt his blush spread to his ears as he stood and Holland made a happy noise taking his hand leading him away.

"I needed to talk to him anyway." Matthew said weakly to Alfred who was glaring death at Holland's retreating back.

"Alfred, leave your brother alone." Matthew heard Arthur scold his sibling as he was drug from the room.

Review?


	36. bathes

Matthew followed Holland into the bathroom watching the demon yawn and rub at his eyes with his free hand, still holding tightly to the angel with the other. "Why don't you go back to bed Holland? You're not made for mornings."

The demon lord smiled a little, peeking one eye open to look down at Matthew as he yawned again. "I don't want to be in bed without you. How are feeling?" He asked pulling the glasses off Matthews face and setting them aside as they both started to strip out of their clothing.

"Like an idiot with a massive headache." Matthew replied with a sigh and a shrug as Holland chuckled and leaned down pulling the blond close with a hand on the back of his head placing a kiss to his temple.

"Poor baby." He teased yawning for a third time turning back to start up the water followed by the showerhead.

"We're not taking a bath?" Matthew asked surprised.

"We can if you want, but the longer we are gone the more your family will talk about what is keeping us."

Matthew flushed at that and Holland stepped under the spray with a moaning sound of appreciation. "Join me?" he asked. The angel blinked taking in the other man's dripping wet frame suddenly shy. When they took bathes together Matthew took comfort in the water hiding his more vital regions, in the shower he would have no such luxury. He swallowed hard before stepping in and pulling the curtain closed behind him.

Holland stepped back letting the water rain down on Matthew, soaking his hair and relaxing his muscles. "Ivan thinks he may know someone who can separate Feliciano and Romano."

Holland made a questioning noise placing a kiss on Matthews shoulder as he lathered up a wash cloth before nudging Matthew forward out of the water so he could wash his back with slow soothing strokes.

"A friend of his from before works in old medicine…it sounds a little blasphemous to me but if it helps those boys it can't be bad right?"

"No. Not bad at all." The demon agreed softly running the cloth across Matthew's shoulders.

"Would you mind traveling?

"No." Gentle circles at Matthews lower back.

"When can we leave?"

"Any time you want." Back up then down Matthew's arms.

The angel blinked at that turning to face Holland who paused in his washing only a moment before continuing leaving a trail of suds across Matthew's chest. "When I want? But there is a lot to consider. Gilbert and his change. Ice and his mate who still hasn't shown up. Mathias should have a say as well he is also a lord demon. You would need to check with Alfred and Arthur they will take offence if you don't ask them to travel along."

"I'm confident you will make a good decision." Holland replied with a shrug scrubbing at the angel's torso.

"Holland." Matthew scolded scowling. "This is serious."

"I am aware, but I have faith that you will pick the right time."

"It's not my place to make that choice! I'm just-" Holland placed a finger to Matthew's lips cutting him off.

"You are mine… No longer my captive. No longer my ever escaping hostage. Mine. You are my equal in all things. An angel with the commanding power of a Lord demon in my household. When you speak, people will listen. You will be expected to make decisions like this and harder if you stay with me and I will always back you whatever your do. I would like for you to make this choice Matthew, in a show of my trust in you and my wiliness to follow you anywhere."

Matthew felt a lump in his throat and a burning in his eyes that that he fought back with everything he had. Things suddenly seemed to be moving fast. He used to hate this man. Loath him to his very core to the point of vomiting if they so much as kissed and now the man was nothing but sweet words that turned Matthews insides to mush. "I…"

Holland smiled his cute, purely pleased, smile and leaned down placing a kiss on Matthew's lips before righting himself again. "No words needs angel. If you accept then you speak with everyone and decide when we leave. If not…well-" Matthew jerked Holland down for a soul searing kiss their tongues intertwining in a need to taste each other as much as they could.

Matthew wasn't sure who moved first but he was suddenly pinned against the wall while Holland pressed against him grinding slowly, making his cock come to full attention. Matthew wrapped his arms around Holland's shoulders hands threaded through the demons hair keeping their mouths fused together. The taller man made a growling noise that went straight to Matthews groin making him gasp and toss his head back gasping air into his lungs. The demon lord gripped Matthews legs, hiking them both up around his own waist making the angel's hands shoot out to steady himself against the wall, sending bottles clattering to the tub floor around them as he cried out. Need filled Matthew to an extent he had never felt before. His inside's tightened every time Holland rutted against him rubbing their pricks together and his skin felt like it was on fire.

He felt precum leaking at his own tip as he dug his nails into Holland's back making the demon growl again causing Matthews dick to twitch begging for attention.

"Is it going to hurt?" The words were out before Matthew could stop them and suddenly everything went still and he buried his face in the crook of Holland's neck to hide his shame. The water raining down on them and their deep breathing were the only sounds in the room. Matthew had never felt more like disappearing in his whole life. Why couldn't the wall just consume him now and save him the embarrassment of facing his almost lover.

"Fuck." Holland breathed out breaking their silence taking deep steadying breaths. "Oh Matthew the things you do to me." He said softly with a chuckle slowly letting the angel's legs down so he could stand on his own two feet before lifting the shorter man's face and smiling reassuringly. "When we make love…it is going to be different. It may even hurt at first. But I will need you to trust me to show you pleasure you have never felt before. We won't do it till you're ready."

"I'm ready." Matthew insisted face bright red and Holland chuckled again rubbing their hips together again making them both gasp. "I can feel your ready Matthew, but today is not that day…though if you are willing I can give you a small taste of what it will be like."

"Yes." Matthew said breathlessly almost panting through the warm mist that was starting to fill the room from the heat of the shower.

Holland smiled and knelt down before the angel and nuzzled his belly. "Spread your legs for me a little beautiful."

Matthew did as asked swallowing hard feeling incredibly exposed still fighting of the remnants of his previous embarrassment. "What are you doing?" he asked shakily and the demon smiled and shushed him. "Just trust me."

Matthew leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. He sat that way for what felt like hours before the gentlest of kisses was placed against his stomach. Matthew gasped as his abs went tense and his insides flip flopped. "Relax." The word was breathed against the tip of his penis making him swallow hard and reach his a hand out to stop the other man. "Holland please you-" the demon grabbed silenced the other man by his wrist and nuzzled Matthews palm before answering. "Do you not want me to suck you Matt?"

Every muscle in Matthew's body went tense for a moment from his arms to his anus before he forced them to relax again. "You shouldn't." He breathed out softly keeping his eyes squeezed shut afraid to look and chicken out.

"Why?"

"You're…I mean…I should do that to you. Not the other way around."

Holland snorted a laugh kissing Matthews palm before letting go of his hand and slowly licking a path from start of Matthews sac to the tip of his rock hard length making him shutter and let out a 'ah'. "My dear innocent Angel. As I have told you before, and will probably have to remind you a hundred times, we are equals, there is not 'female role' in this relationship. I want to give you a blow job and if you would like to receive one then just relax and let me do my part."

Matthew took a shuttering breath forcing his eyes open to look down at Holland who was on his knees before him smiling daringly. "Yes…please."

Holland's smile widened before his eyes were completely on his task. He wrapped a hand around Matthew's base giving him a few experimental strokes before taking the tip in his mouth and sucking playfully. Matthew made a strangled noise his hands desperately trying to find purchase on the slick tiled wall behind him to keep from wrapping them in Holland's hair. Ignoring the man above him wordlessly begging for him to hurry up and get it over with Holland took his time working his jaw further open allowing more and more of rather substantial sized manhood to make its way into his mouth.

He started a slow steady pattern working his fist up and down while bobbing his head letting saliva act as his lubricant as it dripped down the rock hard cock before him. Holland took his time he was in no hurry to rush now that he was actually being allowed to touch the untouchable. He enjoyed watching the swollen red prick slide from between his lips slick from being in his mouth, balls tightening, begging to the demon to bring him to completion. 'Not yet.' He thought, sliding his free hand up the back of Matthew's leg playing with the coarse hair there, gently trying to sooth the tension that immediately filled the smaller man's body at the extra touch.

Matthew settled a little as Holland's hand on the back of his leg traveled the same path slowly and rhythmically from the bottom of his ass to the back of his knee. "Holland." Matthew panted. The simple name came out as a begging plea for more, for Holland to continue to the next step, even if Matthew didn't realize that's what it was.

The demon chuckled around the flesh occupying his mouth, taking a moment to swirl his tongue around the tip and lap the percum off the angels slit making shorter man's knees go weak. "Trust me." Holland said softly keeping his fist moving lazily around Matthews cock while looking up at the man who was looking down at him with half hooded eyes full of both desire and fear.

Holland smiled taking his hand off the back of Matthew's leg and popping his pointer finger into his own mouth. He purposefully fully covered the digit in saliva before pulling it back out and quickly took Matthew back into his now free mouth sucking greedily making the angel cry out and wrap his hands in Holland's flat soaking hair. Holland did his best to keep Matthew focused on his weeping prick but as soon as his slick finger rubbed the angels puckered entrance his whole body went bow string tight.

"Easy beautiful. You need to relax." Holland said pulling back looking up nervously at the purple eyed man who was looking down at him like a deer in headlights. He refused to back down rubbing his finger in soothing circles around the hole he hoped to someday fill with something much larger and satisfying. His other hand continued to pump Matthew up and down as he gave him some tentative licks to keep him from waning. "Relax baby." Holland looked up again at the angel through his lashes, his eyes glowing slightly and his fangs farther out then they should have been. "I will make you feel good." Maybe it was cheating to use things Matthew told him were a turn on for him to get what he wanted but Holland didn't feel too bad about it as the angels eyes dilated with more want then fear.

Matthew's breathes were coming out in short panicked pants and his legs muscles were trembling just under the surface in a way that turned on every 'hell yes' button Holland had in his body. Oh the things he would do if he could get away with it. He thought to himself slipping the tip of his finger into Matthew as soon as the angel had unclenched enough to allow him too.

Matthew hissed as Holland worked in his finger, more from the strange feeling of it then actual pain. The demon went back to work on the cock mindful of his now protruding fangs as he happily sucked away. Take it slow he reminded himself repeatedly as he focused on all three of his tasks of pumping sucking and now pushing his finger in and out of the tight sphincter. Matthew was making soft sounds somewhere between a whimper and a beg clicking something just right in Holland's darker psyche that enjoyed having such control over the once proud creature of light.

"Holland!" Matthew cried out hips arching forward gagging the demon for a moment before Holland hummed in satisfaction. He found the prostate.

Holland bumped his finger against the little bundle of nerves gently at first enjoy the strangled 'ah ah's Matthew was giving him in return before his own need to bring his little angel to completion filled him, he'd spent enough time playing. He picked up his pace with all of his tasks dead set on watching Matthews face as he came when suddenly said man was tugging at his hair forcefully trying to pull his mouth off. "My hip!" The angel begged. "Bite me please! Please I'm so close."

Not needing to be asked twice Holland let Matthew's tugging hands lead his mouth away from the angels thick girth to his demon mark where the demon wasted no time at all clamping his teeth down into flesh opening their connection wide as blood pooled in his mouth.

White burst behind Holland's eyes as Matthew's scream of release filled his ears and pleasure shot though his whole body. He hadn't realized he'd faded out but when he faded back in moments later Holland was sprawled in the bottom of the tub with Matthew. The two of them were tangled together in a mess of limbs and body fluid and lukewarm water blinking slowly back into reality.

"Holy hell." Holland said softly.

"I'm not sure how holy hell is…but I must agree with you on this one." Matthew replied smiling nervously. "That was…amazing."

"I'm glad you liked it." Holland replied smiling cockily forcing himself upright so he wasn't pressing so hard against the still trembling angel.

"You came to…" Matthew said chewing at his lip nervously. "I didn't realize you had a free hand to take care of yourself." He teased gently and Holland chuckled placing a kiss on Matthew's lips to keep him from gnawing them off in his nervousness.

"I came when you came, I connected with you through our mark. It was rather exhilarating."

"Have you ever done that before?" Matthew asked looking away shyly as Holland rinsed them both off and put the stopper in the bottom of the tub turning up the heat more. "Connection sex I mean."

Holland looked over at Matthew and raised an eyebrow making the angel flush red. He refrained from teasing the other man as he stood and sat back down behind him pulling Matthew up against his chest. "No. You're the first to ever carry my mark." Holland smiled when he felt Matthew relax a little more against him at his answer.

"I thought we were taking a quick shower." Matthew asked lazily watching the tub fill around them.

"Yes well that was the plan but your cute little ass is going to be a tad sore, I was more aggressive near the end then I meant to be. And you were so noisy I thought it best to hid out in here a while, while you brother calmed down." Holland enjoyed the way Matthews face turned bright red and he sunk down a little lower like the high walls of the tub could hide him from his brother wrath.

Both those were actual reasons for wanting to stay a little longer in the soothing water of the large bath but the real reason Holland wanted to stay was he was enjoying having Matthew all to himself in their post coital bliss curled up together. He knew as soon as they were apart the guilt would start to nag at Matthew and it would be back to square one when it came to touching him and he would have to work his way back up to it again, but it had been worth it. Watching Matthew come undone was something Holland would remember for the rest of his life.

He wrapped his arms around Matthew waist reclining back against the cool edge of the bath relishing the way Matthew's legs still trembled from orgasm as he drifted to sleep against his chest for once completely relaxed in the demon lords arms.

Review?


	37. burn baby

"You have your head held too high for a proper walk of shame little brother."

"That's because I'm not ashamed big brother." Matthew replied back evenly taking a seat next to his furious looking sibling.

"Leave your brother alone Alfred." Arthur cut in sitting on the American's other side before he could lash out at Matthew again.

The three of them sat in silence a moment before Matthew cleared his throat. "I don't have a timeline down quite yet but I was wondering if you two wanted to travel with us when we go."

"No." Arthur said cutting in before Alfred could fully open his mouth. "We will not be going with you."

"What are you talking about! Of course we are." Alfred burst out and Arthur ignored him.

Matthew looked between the two of them feeling tired despite his nap in the tub. God give him the patients to deal with family. He thought with a sigh. "You're not leaving until after the Fallen finishes his change correct." Arthur asked.

"Yes."

"We will stay until then just to make sure nothing goes wrong then we will be off."

"This is insane!" Alfred yelled standing up making his chair fall back. "We should leave. We should all pack our shit and go home now!" With a hard shove he sent the large dining room table across the room slamming into the wall making Matthew flinch though his face didn't change expression.

"I'm not going anywhere Alfred. Please sit back down." Matthew said gently only infuriating his twin more making him start to pace.

"What have they done to you? We heard you getting fucked up stairs. An angel bottoming to a demon!" He scoffed glaring at his blond wavy haired sibling. "You're becoming some kind of…freak!"

"Alfred!" Arthur snapped drawing the boys blue eyes to his annoyed looking green. "Are you a freak?"

"We're different Arty." He shot back already realizing where his lover was going with his question. "We're both angels. Matthews basically letting some savage fuck him."

"True but I have heard you screaming in ecstasy. Both yours and Matthew's screams sound the same no matter whose dick is shoved up your ass, angel or demon." Holland said from the doorway looking pissed. "I'm not really seeing the difference between the two relationships. Would it be easier on you if I let Matthew top me?"

Matthew and Alfred turned ten shades of red. "But we didn't have actual-"

"How dare you!" Alfred yelled power flaring and Holland raised an eyebrow before looking at Arthur.

The British man sighed heavily before standing one hand on his hip. "Vulgar Mister Holland, but well put. Alfred. Sit."

Alfred whipped around to face his lover looking betrayed. "But-"

"Sit boy, I will not ask you again." Matthew watched nervously as Arthur stepped up to the much taller Alfred threateningly. His brother was practically vibrating with his frustration his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides, desperate for the comforting weight of his gun.

"Just because I let you have me in the privacy of our rooms does not mean-"

"This has nothing to do with sex and everything to do with the fact that you are by all rights under my command according to angel ranks. Now sit down child or I will make you sit down." Green eyes flashed with the promise of damage should he not be obeyed and Matthew had the strongest urge to pull Alfred down into a seat just to keep their elder from looking at him like that. Arthur was a generally laid back man but had the power to back him when he wanted to set his foot down.

"Alfie please." Matthew whispered reaching a hand out towards him.

"Don't touch me." Alfred muttered pulling his arm back and dropping into his previous chair never breaking eye contact with Arthur. There was going to be hell between them later. It had been ages since Arthur had pulled rank on Alfred. Matthew had to crush the feeling of guilt he had knowing it was his fault they were fighting.

"I'm sor-"

"Don't apologize." Holland snapped before his face fell and he rubbed the back of his slowly drying hair. "We did nothing wrong." He added halfheartedly.

"You're fine Matthew. Perhaps you should go speak with Mathias about if he will be traveling with you or Ice about when he thinks his mate will be arriving." Arthur offered with a look of pain in his eyes from arguing with Alfred.

Matthew would normally jump at the chance to get away from his pissed sibling and Arthurs 'I see everything' eyes, but he knew it was an excuse so Arthur could take to Holland without him around. "I think it can wait." He said softly lowering his head and chewing at his lip nervously.

A gentle finger under his chin made Matthew look up into mirth filled amber eyes. "I'm a big boy, beautiful. I think I can handle your over protective family for a short while."

Matthew flushed bright red at the soft spoken words, hyperaware of how intimate they must have sounded to his angel relatives. "I'm not-"

"You are, but its ok. I think it's cute that you want to protect me, but it's not necessary. I need to chat with Arthur anyway and your homicidal brother doesn't have his gun so I will be just fine."

Matthew made a disapproving noise as he stood up frowning and lowered his voice. "Please don't fight with them."

"You worry too much."

"Promise me." Matthew insisted and Holland rolled his eyes smiling.

"Kiss me and I will promise you anything you want." Matthew flushed bright red glancing back at Arthur and Alfred who were both watching him closely.

"You are a little shit, you know that." Matthew hissed softly before jerking Holland down to his height and kissing him full on before letting go and backing up. "Be good!" He said firmly before glancing at everyone once more and fleeing to the safety of the upper floor.

Matthew sighed reaching the upper landing and rubbed the back of his head as he walked down the hall.

Equals.

Holland told him they were equals. What did that entail? Would Holland let him top in the bedroom? Matthew blushed at the thought. He wasn't sure he wanted to but the idea that Holland would let him made the angel suddenly feel like they were on the same footing. It was no longer Holland's way or Matthews way. Now it was 'their' way and that had a nice ring to it.

Matthew by passed Matthias not hearing any noise inside and assumed him and Norge would still be sleeping. It would be easier to talk to the larger man after he talked to Ice anyway. Best to get his ducks in a row, as it were, before he approached Mathias unprepared and pissed the man off.

Hearing the sound of someone moving around in Ice's room Matthew knocked softly and pushed open the door. "Ice I'm sorry to bother you so early I just…"

Matthew blinked in surprise at the dark skinned masked man laid out half naked on Ice's bed holding onto the much smaller silver haired demons waist both of them looking at the Matthew in surprise as blood dripped down Ice's neck and off his small fangs.

The temperature in the room was a swirling mess of hot and cold making Matthews knees go weak as he grabbed the door handle to keep upright. The sound of the nob jiggling seemed to set them in a flurry of motion. Ice flew backwards straightening his rumpled clothes trying to hid the demon mark on his neck as the masked man let out an angry noise that make Matthew jerk and hiss back stepping away from the entrance to show his lack of fear and whipping back around as the door slammed shut. "They might see!" Ice whispered feverishly looking panicked as he pressed his small frame against the door like he could block out the rest of the house with his small frame. "Sadiq no!"

Matthew felt the larger man plow into him from behind sending them both sprawling to the floor with a muted thump before he had enough time to react. Matthew growled letting his wings split onto his back forcing the demon back just long enough for the angel to roll himself over before they were grappling again. Heat poured off the other man hot enough to make Matthew break out into a sweat as they struggled to overpower each other. "Sadiq stop it please!" Ice begged from above them. "They will hear you!"

Sadiq snarled showing off still bloody fangs from marking Ice and droplet from his own freshly made mark dripped down on Matthew neck. "Angel power level three. " Matthew panted, pushing the larger man away long enough to reach for his forming halo only to freeze as the demon reached for it at the same time with a flaming hand snatching it away. Leaning back to his full height, keeping pressure on the angel so he couldn't get up, Sadiq perched high above Matthew showing him the weapon held easily in his fiery grip.

"I am worthy of higher then a level three little angel." He said giving a smile that made Matthews stomach clench in fear as his beautiful golden halo turned red with heat. "SADIQ!" Ice yelled stomping his foot. "Stop it right now!"

The dark skinned man glanced at the furious little demon giving Matthew a chance to reach up for his halo with both hands trying to wrench it back burning his hands in the process. A large hand over his mouth silence the scream and Ice's small hands covered his cooling them instantly. When Matthews scream died down to soft whimpers Ice shoved Sadiq off the angel dropping to his knees in a panic prying Matthew's hands off his now ice cold halo to look at them. "Oh my god, Holland's going to kill us!" He whispered. "Sadiq what have you done!"

"He was going to tell!" The large demon whined pitifully pulling himself upright scowling down at both of them as he jerked a sweatshirt on. Matthew would have retorted if he wasn't staring at his uncontrollably shaking burned hands and to his black halo lying on the floor next to him where Ice dropped it. He couldn't feel any of his power in it. "He wouldn't have told damn it!" Ice swore startling Matthew again with his harsh tone when he was normally so quiet. "Now how am I supposed to hide this? Jesus they are already bubbling up."

"I'm fine." Matthew whispered feeling like he was in a twilight zone. The previously aggressive demon was now leaning against the window frame looking chastised by the much smaller man who was glairing death at him from his spot on the floor.

"Why should we hide anything?" The demon named Sadiq asked, making a face Matthew could only call a pout as Ice covered Matthews slowly bubbling hands with his own chilling them trying to soothe the pain that was radiating up his arms.

"Because I told you Mathias will kill you." Ice muttered focusing totally on Matthew now who was slowly coming to out of the shock of having his halo lying lifeless in front of him.

"He's your mate? The one from the dream?" Matthew asked shakily.

"Yes."

"I dreamed of you too." The large man said with a small crooked smile that made Ice blush.

The sound of a nearby door opening startled all three of them and Ice went pale as footsteps started towards his door. "Go." Matthew snapped at Sadiq who looked startled by the command. "Mathias will rip you in half. Get your ass out that damn window!"

Ice jumped to his feet rushing up to the Turkish man before jerking him down by the front of his sweater to his height and kissing him soundly enough to have Matthew blushing. The little man jerked up the green hood covering the dark locks of hair with a shy smile before shoving him out the window with a thud of the demon hitting the ground his only response. Ice pulled his curtain closed as Matthew snatched up his dead halo and the door opened. Mathias blinked at them in surprise.

"Matthew? Not trying to have your way with my little Ice are you?" He asked teasingly smiling widely but looking confused by the angel's presence.

"We-" Matthew's voice was shaking from the pain in his hands from gripping the cold metal tightly. "We were…" his throat caught and Mathias eyes narrowed dangerously sensing something was wrong and slowly knelt down to Matthew's height while glancing at the frightened looking Ice.

"Deep breath." Mathias commanded softly but firmly dragging his gaze back to the angel making Matthew take a deep shuttering breath trying to calm himself. "You're crying Matthew."

The blond blinked in surprise realizing that he did indeed have large tears rolling down his face. "I'm sorry." He gasped up fear rocking threw him anew at his display of pain and depression he was feeling at the loss of his most useful weapon. "Ice and I were talking about when he thought his mate would be arriving." Matthew said blinking quickly trying to clear his burning eyes without lifting his wounded hands not wanting Mathias to see them. "I wanted to talk to him before I talked to you because I wanted to travel to find a man Ivan told me about who could help Romano and Feliciano and I wanted to ask you guys to come with us and I needed to know everyone's plans before we left!"

Mathias blinked at Matthews rushed explanation before looking back up at Ice who was chewing on the inside of his lip trying not to move then back again. "And that caused you to break down into tears?" he asked reaching a hand forward brushing away a stray tear.

"No. No I…It's…That was because of my family being here." Matthew replied eyes wide praying his excuse would work.

"Your family?" Mathias asked skeptically.

"It's very stressful." The angel insisted gripping his halo tighter.

Mathias snorted at that wiping away another tear before smiling. "You want to know what I think it is?" He asked gently making Matthews stomach drop and his heart nearly stop. "I think its Holland isn't it? You're falling for him and your little angel head just can't wrap around it and all this mate talk with Ice just has you in a mess."

Matthew swallowed hard and nodded unable to speak afraid his voice would break again and Mathias laughed boisterously. "Poor thing. Don't worry I won't tell him. He wouldn't understand why you're crying and take it all the wrong way."

"Thank you." Matthew whispered squeezing his hands tighter feeling something pop and liquid slowly filled his palm and slipped through his fingers.

"He was going to stay here and calm down a bit if that's alright with you Mathias." Ice finally spoke up looking stoic as ever and Mathias nodded rubbing the back of his head as he stood up. "Good idea. You wouldn't want Holland to see you like that. Come talk to me about your little trip when you are ready alright?"

"I will." Matthew said nodding harder then was necessary as Mathias left the room shutting the door behind him and walking down the hall. Ice collapsed against the wall in relief before looking at Matthew. "Thank you." He said softly pushing himself upright and walking up to Matthew before kneeling down. "Let me see your hands."

"I will take care of them. You have done enough." Matthew snapped jerking his hands back as all his fear from Sadiq, burning his hands, his halo not responding to him, and Mathias converted into anger.

Ice looked upset and Matthew regretted being harsh but forced his wings back into his back and stood holding his halo to his chest. "When are you seeing him again?"

"He'll be back tonight when everyone is asleep." Ice whispered.

"I want to talk to you both about your plans." He muttered feeling stupid for having burst in in the first place.

The small silver haired demon nodded Matthew fled from the room vowing to never open another door without knocking and waiting at least ten solid seconds before entering again.

Review?


	38. hurts

Matthew rushed down the hall head lowered as he headed for his room. He wasn't sure what he was going to do when he got there but at least he would be out of sight for a while.

"Mathieu?" Francis's voice came from up ahead and Matthew lowered his head a little more pulling his halo close against his stomach like he could hid it there.

"Not now. I'm busy." Matthew muttered in passing before someone grabbed his arm making him snap his head up intending to growl at them only to be met with concerned blue eyes that didn't look like Francis's.

"You're hurt." Joan said softly but still loud enough for The Frenchman behind her to hear and step closer.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Nothing." Matthew replied quickly wanting to jerk his arm away but not wanting to be rude to the lady. "I'm fine release me."

"Come now let me have a look." Joan pressed on tugging Matthew into Francis's bedroom leaving the Frenchman to follow after them and shut the door as she gently eased Matthew into a car. The small short haired woman knelt on the floor before him and set a hand on top of his, tugging a little at the halo to ask him to let it go. His heart ached but he released it and watched while she smiled rewardingly at him and set the weapon on the floor off to the side.

"Mathieu! What happened?" The long haired blond man asked in shock as they all looked at the red welted hands. His left one was sticky, covered with the liquid that was leaking out of one of the popped blisters.

"You can't tell!" Matthew said weakly looking pleadingly up at Francis who frowned but nodded back. "I was going to see Ice and talk about when he thought his mate was coming and found out the man was already here. We got into a fight…he's a fire demon."

"Whoa wait you got into a fight?" Francis asked. "Mon dieu! Whatever for?"

"Matthew sighed heavily and watched as Joan said nothing standing. "I will be right back. I need some things to clean this."

"It was just a misunderstanding." Matthew muttered feeling ashamed for having caused trouble again. "I can't let Holland see, Francis! He will tell Mathias and he'll kill them! They already marked each other without permission!"

"Calm down! Clam down I won't tell anyone. You know I'm a sucker for a love story." Francis said with a slight smile touching Matthews head as Joan came back in. She set down her supplies and knelt again, getting to work on Matthew's already leaking hand.

"Let me know if I hurt you." She said dipping a washcloth into a bowl of water and gently running it over the sticky palm. The woman worked carefully, explaining each step as she went along.

"I need to cut off the blister."

"Why?" Matthew asked looking at the small set of scissors in her hand wearily while Francis watched them from his spot he'd taken up on the bed.

"These bubbles your hands are forming are to protect the burnt skin. They fill with this liquid that soothes the flesh and tries to encourage new growth. The problem with it is, like you saw here already is that the bubble pops and leaks deflating. Then the hole will clot over and again the extra skin will fill with the serum but therein lies the problem. Once it pops you have the chance of getting infection inside leaving it to fester. They only way to prevent this is to peel off the extra skin of the bubble." Joan explained clipping the scissors together to make her point with a smile.

"Ma chere, you are making my stomach turn." Francis complained drolly.

The woman giggled smiling up at him before looking back to Matthew who was silently agreeing with Francis. "The nerves are dead Matthew. You won't feel a thing."

The angel pulled a non-believing face but nodded anyway. "Go ahead."

The golden haired woman smiled once more reassuringly before she set to work popping the bubble again and trimming it along the edges. True to her word Matthew couldn't feel the skin being cut away but watching his skin be cut off his palm and his fingers made his insides flip flop uncomfortably and the over exaggerated grossed out noises Francis were making weren't helping at all. It would be beyond embarrassing if he threw up in front of a chick.

"There we are." She said drawing Matthews gaze away from the ceiling back down at his pink, raw hands. "Now I have to apologize in advance for this, but I need to scrub the skin now to make sure it's clean before I wrap it."

"Scrub it?" Matthew squeaked out closing his hands into fists as best he could to hid them from her. "I think they are clean enough."

"Matthew dear…" Joan pleaded softly helping him stand as they headed towards the bathroom and Francis followed after. "Burns aren't like cuts. They need to be handed with the upmost care of they won't heal correctly and will cause serious infecting. We don't want that so please just let me help you."

"Is it going to hurt?" He asked nearly whining already before she even started. It seemed strange that for all the pain he had been through thus far on his journey that these little burns had his stomach rolling.

"It will." She replied honestly. "But I will be very careful not to cause any more pain then is necessary."

Resigning himself to the pain Matthew held his hands out to her with a huff making Francis chuckle. "You have been through worse." He offered helpfully sitting on the counter as Joan started up the water in the sink and lathered up a new washcloth.

"I am aware thank you." Matthew muttered sullenly before hissing as Joan started to scrub. True to her word she was as gentle as possible but the raw exposed skin burned anew with each pass of the cloth.

"There…almost done." She reassured as she rinsed the soap off and pat dried his hands. "Now I just need to-"

Joan was cut short as the door burst open and a pissed looking Gilbert stormed in. "What the fuck has got you all in a fuss!" The vampire growled glaring at the sunlight streaming through the window before marching over and jerking the curtain closed bathing the room in darkness.

No one moved as the three of them watched Gilberts glow red eyes from across the room as he slowly stalked towards them. "Gilbert." Francis said weakly stepping forward to block the other two angels. Suddenly Gilbert was gone, evaporated into the shadows that he loved before appearing right before Matthew.

"Your heart-" He purred walking closer and running a finger from the back of Matthew's ear down his throat to his jugular. "has been pounding so hard the last hour that I can't fucking sleep angel."

Matthew suddenly realized why Arthur said both demons and angel feared vampires. In the darkness like this Gilbert could be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. No matter how strong you were you couldn't stop something you couldn't see.

"Ba boom." Gilbert whispered against the shell of Matthew's ear, tapping a fingertip against his neck in time with his words. "Ba boom, ba boom, ba boom. Over and over and over again." The fingertip stopped taping and a hand wrapped around Matthews throat squeezing dangerously as the angels eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. "It's rattling around in my head like a god damn drum calling me eat and I can't fucking sleep with your heart making all that fucking noise."

"Let go of me Gilbert." Matthew said weakly and the hand on his neck loosened a little.

"Why are you so upset little angel? So upset that you won't let me sleep." The vampire asked lazily leaning back finally giving Matthew some space to breath.

"I burned my hands."

Red eyes flicked down to said appendages frowning before pulling them into his own hands to get a better look at them. "I can fix most of this damage…If I heal them will you calm the fuck down?" he asked lazily his anger dying away with his exhaustion.

"Yes." Matthew replied back and gasped as Gilbert jerked his hands up to his mouth and lapped at them with long strokes down each finger and across the palm before dropping them and tilting his head to the side listening.

Slowly the pain in Matthews hand subsided and sure enough even with his fear of Gilbert his heart rate slowed from the dulling of the pain.

Gilbert sighed in bliss seeming satisfied with the results. "Try and stay out of trouble little Matthew. I don't want to be woken again."

"I will do my best." Matthew replied holding his hands to his chest as Gilbert walked around Francis, mindlessly toying with the man's longer hair while he walked by.

"If you wear your Halo around your neck it will heal by the way." The vampire said leaning down to pick up the blackened ring twirling it around on his finger. "It will take some time as it is rather pissed off at you at the moment for letting demons touch it but it should be fine."

"Wear it?" Matthew echoed confused.

"Mmhum." Gilbert replied walking forward again making Francis step aside. The albino pressed the halo to Matthew's throat in a way that would have been threatening if the weapon was working. The cool metal made the angel shiver though he tried to suppress it.

"Angel power-" Gilbert purred apparently enjoying making Matthews heart rate spike again. "Connection."

The Halo made a humming noise and for the briefest of moment Matthew felt it's power flicker before suddenly the black ring was clamped around his throat. "There…" Gilbert said standing upright and running a finger along the new collar. "It can now feed slowly off your power till it gains its own back. It's your badge of dishonor for letting it get so wounded stupid angel."

"Thank you Gilbert."

"Anything for you birdy." The vampire replied yawning and dropping his hand.

"You should go back to bed." Joan said softly finally speaking up drawing Gilberts eyes to her. "You don't want to be grumpy when you wake up this evening do you?"

"We wouldn't want that now would we." Gilbert chuckled. "How have you been Joan?"

"Very well. I am much enjoying having company these past few days." She replied walking forward and hooking her arm through his leading him towards the door.

"Yes well Francis makes for fine company indeed." He said playfully and she giggled as lead the man out of the room closing the door behind them.

"Jesus that about scared the shit out of me." Francis whispered going over and jerking the curtains open.

Matthew nodded in agreement looking at his healed but still pink hands. "I don't know what to do Francis…How do I help Ice and his mate and keep Mathias from killing them?"

The other angel sighed shaking his head. "I don't know Mathieu…I don't know. Maybe you should ask Holland for help. He would know how to handle the other demon lord better. Are your hands alright?"

"Yes. Between Joan and Gilbert they are as good as knew." Matthew replied dropping them to eye his new 'necklace' in the mirror. "I should go. Holland has been talking to Arthur and Alfred this whole time. Lord knows what they have been saying."

"I will pray for you." Francis joked dropping gracelessly back onto his bed as Matthew headed for the door.

"She is pretty Fran…Real pretty. Are you two…" He left the question open and Francis smiled and shrugged.

"I don't know. But I would like to be. Though to be honest I'm content with just being around her for now. Take it slow you know."

Matthew smiled at that nodding. "That's good. That's really good Francis. I will see you later alright." The other man nodded and Matthew left the room intent of finding his partner only to almost run into him.

"Oh Holland!" he said in shock before his eyes widened. "What happened to your eye!"

"Your brother really doesn't like me." Holland replied with a shrug looking more than a little annoyed.

"You didn't hurt him did you?" Matthew asked horrified and the large man scowled down at him. "No." he snapped heading for their room. The angel trotted after feeling slight bad for asking but he knew first hand Holland's temper when it came to people disrespecting him.

"Holland I have to talk to you about something." Matthew said hesitantly shutting them in their room making the demon lord look at him hesitantly.

"What?"

"Well..." Holland frowned harder walking towards him making him pause. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"What happened to your hands?" Holland questioned lifting the pink appendages to look at them.

"No nothing. It's not a big deal I really just need your help with-" Matthew faded off as Holland leaned in to smell him. The demon lord looked furious. "You smell like four different demons Matthew." The anger Matthew saw in Holland eyes made him stay quiet mouth opening and closing like a fish trying to find the words to explain.

Holland pressed closer and Matthew backed up into the door Holland's hand slamming down on either side of his head to keep him trapped there as he breathed deeply again. "Mathias touched you. Ice…Gilbert too." He sniffed again and frowned. "A fourth I can't place. What have you been doing Angel?"

"Don't talk to me like that." Matthew growled shoving Holland back a little so he could sneak out from under his arms. "I haven't done anything wrong."

"Then why do you smell like anyone else but me!" Holland yelled and Matthew looked at him wide eyed.

"Holland what is wrong with you?" He asked.

Review?


	39. jealous

Holland was snarling, pacing, and dragging a hand through his spiked hair, all while eyeing Matthew with eerily glowing amber eyes.

"Holland please calm down." Matthew said softly reaching out to the demon only to have Holland growl louder making him pull his hands back and step away. "Please! Nothing happened. You're going to wake up Gilbert again and he was already angry."

"I don't give a fuck about Gilbert." The words were snarled out before Holland turned his back on Matthew walking to the far side of the room like putting space between them could help.

Holland tugged at his hair trying to focus on the pain and not the rage that was coiling inside him. Why? Why did his partner smell like other men? Four other demons had touched Matthew leaving their scents behind as if to taunt Holland. Taunt him for even thinking he could keep an angel all to himself.

"Why?"

"Why what?" Matthew asked swallowing hard and eyeing the door. If he ran from Holland what would his family think? What would it mean about their relationship as a whole?

Holland's fist hitting the wall making Matthew jump and jerk his gaze back as the Demon Lord started towards him backing the angel into a wall again. Holland kept his clenched fists firmly at his sides not trapping the smaller man in this time though the stance was hardly comforting. "Why did you let them touch you?" He growled lowly trying to control the shaking in his voice.

Matthew couldn't think. Couldn't come up with any words at all to explain what had happened without upsetting Holland even more. All he could do was look up at the bigger man begging him with his eyes to calm down. "Mathias I understand. He's on the same level as me. I could see if you wanted him but Ice? Gilbert? I can't seem to wrap my head around them though you have always seemed to have a closeness with the half breed."

"Don't!" Matthew snapped trying to convert his fear to anger. "Don't do that Holland. These are our friends you're talking about! They would never try and take me from you! I would never try and leave you for any of them! Why are you acting like this? They were just touches. You touch people every day for God's sake! Just yesterday Gilbert was feeding off you. Mathias was licking you!"

Holland's hand came forward and Matthew flinched back unintentionally closing his eyes expecting a hit.

A finger touched the blonds cheek brushing up just underneath his eyes reminiscent of what Mathias had done just a few hours ago. "You have been crying." Holland whispered, sounding a mix between anger and concern. "I can smell the salt…why were you crying?"

Matthew opened his eyes, looking at Holland again as a fresh tear slipped out. Holland jerked back like he'd been struck eyes going wide. "Jesus what have I done?"

"I didn't do anything Holland." Matthew whispered begging the man to trust him. "Why are you so angry?"

"Oh God…I don't know. Their smells on you just…" Holland made a snorting sound of frustration eyes looking at the blood on Matthew's neck left behind from Sadiq. He took a deep breath, nostrils flaring and Matthew put his hands up against Holland's chest to literally keep him at arm's length. "You need to back up."

"You were fighting with someone…someone who wasn't one of our people." The demon pressed closer dipping his head down to press against the dried spots and breathing deeply.

"Holland, you need to back up. You're only making yourself more upset."

"Gilbert…Gilbert had his hands on your throat. And you wear another man's blood in the same spot…it didn't drip down your clavicle…you weren't standing…"

"Holland-" Matthew tried once more before suddenly he was jerked forward and shoved down onto the floor, Holland looming over him eyes in a fury again.

"Some MAN straddled you…" Matthew looked at his partner in horror reaching his arms up to shove him off only for Holland to grab his arms and go still again pressing his nose into Matthew's wrists.

"Holland, please!"

"Yes…just like this. You struggled and then Ice touched…the tops of your hands? Why?" The Lord demon looked faraway while he kept his angel pinned as if he was seeing what he smelled. "Was this when you did this?" Holland released Matthews wrists and laced their fingers in a movement that was far more tender then before.

"Yes." Matthew croaked out voice breaking.

"Burns…You grabbed something hot?"

"Yes."

"What?

"Halo."

Holland frowned at that letting go of one of Matthew's hands to touch the black ring around his neck and tap it. "Ice cooled your hands…" He said softly standing up and pacing slowly as his mind worked.

Matthew sat up slowly eyeing the other wearily taking deep calming breaths to keep his heart rate down. God forbid Gilbert came in on this. Lord only knew what he would do. Holland stopped pacing and bit at his thumb nail before slowly dropping to one knee before Matthew looking him in the eye intensely. "You cried…Mathias came. Wiped your tears away." Holland mimicked the movements gently and Matthew closed his eyes holding back a fresh set.

Holland stood again pulling Matthew up with him before pressing his nose into the angels hair. "Francis touched your head…Joan, your hands. They tried to help you?"

"Yes."

"Gilbert came…" Matthew almost cried out when Holland pressed close to him, hand taking the same path the vampires had from behind his ear to his jugular then quickly wrapped around his throat. The hold was nowhere near as tight as Gilberts had been but the threat of the large hand was enough to make Matthew shiver. "Why?"

"Heartbeat. He couldn't sleep."

"He licked your wounds…healed your hands."

"Yes…"

Holland relaxed a little pressing his head against Matthews shoulder and wrapped his arms loosely around his waist. "Sorry."

Matthew blinked at that. "Sorry?" He echoed softly before all his fear was replaced by anger. Matthew shoved Holland back so hard the demon lord fell back into the wall. "SORRY!" He yelled.

"You treat me like that and all you say is sorry!"

"Matthew-" Holland started blinking innocently at him.

"No! No you listen to me." Matthew growled taking a threatening step forward. "You EVER do that shit to me again and I will beat the living hell out of you. Do you understand me! I am not property! I am not one of your servants. I am your partner. Your mother fucking equal damn it and I will not be treated like an untrustworthy child."

"I didn't mean to-"

"But you did! You came in here accusing me of-of Jesus Holland! Accused me of letting other people touch me inappropriately! What in the hell is wrong with you?"

"I just wanted to know what happened." Holland protested weakly standing up fully but staying pressed against the wall.

"Ask me god damn it! I could have told you all of that without you putting me through all that shit!" Matthew snapped blinking back tears again angry at himself for getting this worked up. "I was going to tell you all of it…and you wouldn't even let me talk."

"Matthew I'm sorry. I just got so mad…I was arguing with your brother and he said you would never be faithful to me and then I came upstairs and you smelled like other people I just…I'm sorry. Can we please forget this ever happened?" The demon asked weakly pushing forward and pulling Matthew into his arms again.

Matthew sighed relaxing into the larger man's hold content to let it go for the time being. Yelling wouldn't solve anything anyway. "You can just go shower and we can be done with this." Holland said kissing Matthew's cheek making the angel blink.

"Shower?" He asked pulling back some.

"To get their smells off you."

"But…We went through that I didn't do anything wrong."

"I don't want you walking around smelling like other men Matthew." Holland insisted with a shrug.

Matthew narrowed his eyes. Oh hell no. No way was he going to deal with an obsessive 'no one else can touch you' boyfriend.

"Excuse me." Matthew said politely stepping back and storming towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Holland asked confused. "Matthew?"

Matthew was half growling out loud as he marched down the stairs making everyone look up at his arrival. Norge and Mathias from the couches, Ludwig and Feliciano from the bottom of the stairs, even Sebastian poked his head out of the kitchen due to the angels stomping. "Everything alright Little master?" The black skinned demon asked frowning as he continued to mix whatever was in his bowl.

"Fine Sebastian. Thank you." Matthew replied in a false cheeriness that only proved to make the butler frown harder.

"Feli. I'm kinda down. How about a group hug?" Matthew asked as he reached the bottom of the landing and pulled the stoic German into his arms before the Italian could even answer. Feliciano blinked in surprise before smiling and joining the impromptu hug session. Ludwig had his arms trapped at his sides, too confused to hug back even if he was free to and Feliciano gripped Matthews back laughing at the absurdity of it all making even Matthew giggle before Holland's voice cut through.

"What in the HELL do you think you are doing?"

Matthew ignored the demon lord releasing the frozen demon before him and patted the fallen angel on the head before making his way to the couch.

"Matthew!" Holland snapped coming down the stairs making Ludwig snatch Feli up out of the pissed demons way.

"It's not good to play games with your mate little angel." Mathias said grinning as Matthew pushed him down onto the couch so his head was in Norge's lap allowing the angel to straddle his waist. Mathias hands instinctively went to the smaller blonde's waist to keep him steady and Matthew smiled back in a way he was sure looked a tad bit homicidal.

"It's not good to be a crazy jealous boyfriend either." He replied before leaning forward with his hands on Mathias shoulder as he nuzzled his face against the bright red Norges belly. The quiet man looked practically ready to explode from the close contact and had his hands up in the air so he wouldn't touch the angel cuddling him.

"Matthew God damn it!" Holland snarled ripping him upright off the two on the couch before the angel whipped around slapped him in the face.

The whole room went silent before Matthew hiccupped a chocked back sobbing sound. "D-don't touch me."

"Way to go Matthew!" Alfred chimed in having come in with Arthur from outside after hearing the ruckus.

"You shut the hell up!" Matthew snapped pointing at his brother furiously. "This is your fault for filling his head with that shit! Go home! Leave me alone! I hate you!"

"But Mattie-"

"GO HOME! I HATE YOU!" Matthew shouted hand's clenched into fists at his sides before he couldn't hold back the tears anymore and he brushed passed Holland running back upstairs.

Noise erupted down below but Matthew didn't stop. He knew he couldn't go to his room so he went the only place he knew people would be weary to enter. He crashed his way into Ivan's room slamming the door and bathing himself in the darkness.

Matthew managed to choke back two sobs before they broke free and his whole body shook with them. The big thick unstoppable tears started next rolling down his face in a wave of sorrow.

"You're in pain again."

The words startled Matthew in to swallowing back a sob. "I'm sorry." He whispered. Maybe he shouldn't have come here. He though belatedly. He thought Gilbert would have slept through the crying he didn't think about his heart.

"Did you come here for me to fix it?" Gilbert asked sounding still half asleep.

"I just came to hide." Matthew admitted weakly voice breaking.

A tongue licked a long line up the side of Matthews face, lapping away the tears and making Matthew flinch. "That's good sugar, because all the licking in the world isn't going to help you right now."

Matthew laughed and sobbed at the same time and Gilbert came into view blinking lazily at Matthew taking his hand. "You can stay here and long as you need." He said gently leading them towards the bed. Matthew sat down putting his back to the headboard and pulling his knees to his chest. Gilbert sighed, brushing hair out of the angels face before covering his with a blanket and sitting down next to him under the covers, hooking and arm around him and letting Matthew cry on his shoulder.

It was hours later that Matthew woke up to find himself laying in Gilberts lap with the vampire playing with his hair mindlessly while watching the moon outside his window. "Morning star shine." He said without looking down at the angel.

Matthew blinked slowly feeling more worn out then he had when he'd gone to sleep. "I'm sorry Gilbert." He said softly voice hoarse.

The vampire chuckled hand not stilling in its toying on the strands between his fingers, gaze lingering on the moon just a moment longer before looking down at the angel. "I had to chase off quite a few people Matthew. You caused quite a stir apparently." Gilbert tucked the hair behind Matthew's ear forcing himself to be still.

"Thank you…I didn't want to see anyone." Matthew sat up with a heavy sigh rubbing at his eyes. "What time is it?"

"11:02."

"Jesus. I'm really sorry! Have you stayed with me this whole time?"

"I did. You were crying in your sleep. I couldn't leave you like that."

"Where is Ivan?" Matthew asked feeling bad.

"Hum…downstairs waiting at the dinner table." Gilbert replied tilting his head to the side as if listening to something Matthew couldn't hear.

"Waiting for what?"

"Dinner of course. What else do people wait at dinner tables for?"

Matthew scowled at that. "Your sarcasm isn't needed." He muttered making Gilbert smile widely. "Why is he waiting for dinner? It's very late; they should have eaten by now."

"Yes well apparently Sebastian is not pleased with Holland's behavior and has put the kitchen on lock down until you come down to eat and he can check on you properly."

"Have you eaten?" Matthew asked shocked.

"No."

"Are you hungry?"

"Ravenous darling, but as I said you've got the boys damn near kicking the door down trying to get to you. They only thing keeping them at bay was my scary vampire teeth and creepy eyes. Not really leaving the awesome me too much time for snacking."

"Oh Gilbert I'm-"

"If you say you're sorry one more time I'm going to scream." Gilbert cut in frowning. "If you're really sorry, you will march on down stairs with me and put your big boy pants on so we can all eat and be happy and I can have sex at least once before my adorable giant boyfriend passes out."

Matthew blushed at that and Gilbert shot him a Cheshire cat grin and they both got out of bed.

Walking into the dining room to find the whole table full of silent people but no food was probably one of the strangest things Matthew had ever seen. He cleared his throat awkwardly and walked down to the opposite end of the table so both he and Holland were at an end facing one another.

Gilbert joyously dropped himself into the half asleep Ivan's lap starting in on his neck like a starving man.

"Is that really appropriate for the table?" Alfred snapped glairing death at the vampire who half turned looking at the angel smiling showing off his bloodied teeth.

"Hey mine's less revolting then yours is. You eat a dead animal. You scrap the meat from its dead carcass and then heat while enjoying the smell of its flesh burning to an amount you find appropriate. And then you devour it. At least my food lives when I'm done."

"You make me sick." The angel snapped.

"Feeling is mutual buddy."

"ENOUGH!" Arthur yelled and they both fell quite before Alfred shoved away from the table storming out.

No one spoke and Gilbert went back to eating.

"Matthew." Sebastian greeted coming into the room bring out plates heaped with food and people let out appreciative sounds at the warm dinner they had been denied.

"Sebastian." Matthew replied back. "I'm sorry for the wait."

"It's quite alright little master. Sometimes it's good for the young lord to have someone tell him he is wrong outside of me."

Matthew looked across the table and Holland was watching him nervously. "You…haven't showered." He said and everyone shifted nervously.

"No I didn't." Matthew agreed not breaking eye contact.

"I…" Holland clenched one of his fists apparently struggling with some inner battle of what he wanted to say and what he knew he should say. The demon lord swallowed hard sucking in a deep breath that only increased his agitation before he grit his teeth and growled out his reply. "I don't understand why you felt the need to cover yourself with their scents."

Matthew looked down a moment picking at his food and chewing slowly. "I do not belong to you."

"Matthew-"

"No listen to me. I…I think I love you but I don't belong you and if we are going to have a relationship then you need to trust me. Just because someone touched me or I touched someone doesn't mean I was doing something wrong and I'm not going to shower every time it happens just because you have some need to show your male dominance. Alright?"

Holland blinked at that anger gone before flushed a little. "Y-yeah…yeah I got it."

Matthew took another bit of food before smiling and standing. "Good." He said walking towards the stairs and kissing Hollands cheek in passing.

"Where are you going?" The demon lord asked in confusion.

"To shower." Matthew called back. "Now that you got the point there is no need for me to continue to taunt you."

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	40. changes

Matthew sighed walking up to his brother rubbing the back of his head wondering how he was going to do this. The other bespectacled man had his knees pulled up to his chest with his arms wrapped around them and his head resting on top so he could glare at the ground. Matthew sat down next to Alfred mimicking his posture before nudging him a little. "I'm sorry."

"You were mad at me…" Alfred muttered not looking at his sibling dropping a hand to pull at the grass.

"I'm still mad at you…but I shouldn't have said I hated you. I don't." Matthew replied easing a little closer.

"Mattie I don't understand! I'm just trying to help!" Alfred dropped his knees looking pleadingly at Matthew for the other angel to understand his good intentions. "You just can't see how bad this is all gonna end up and-"

Matthew held up his hand cutting the other blonde off. "Alfred…I love you. But I will not let you ruin what I have going on right now. Am I scared? Yes. Yes, you bet your ass I'm scared. Holland is a demon. Being with him goes against everything I know but… oh Alfred if you could only see the way he treats me sometimes! We have come such a long way from where we were and I just…I want to see where it can go. And I-I don't want to have to choose between you and him. Please don't make me."

Alfred looked his brother over before sighing heavily and pulling the other into a hug. "Alright I get it. I'll back off. But Mattie-" Alfred said holding him at arm's length to give him a stern look. "If he hurts you I'm going to have to kill him."

"I will let him know." Matthew said chuckling before standing up. "Come on. It's late we really need to be getting to bed."

The two came back towards the house were a nervous Arthur was waiting at the doorway and Matthew paused them pulling Alfred into a tight hug again. "Don't be mad at Arthur. He has been ringing his hands since your fight this morning. You know how he gets when you two fight."

Alfred sighed squeezing Matthew closer. "Hey I promised to stay out of your love life you stay out of mine. Let me handle Arthur's nervous habits."

Matthew released his brother and sighed knowing he tried but Alfred's temper never was that easy to get rid of. They came into the house together and Alfred headed straight for his room without stopping and Arthur lowered his head a little but didn't say anything about it. "You two all better?"

"Yeah. For now. You know how he gets." Matthew replied. "Hey have you talked to Gilbert he seemed different today. He was talking about hearing heartbeats in his sleep. He woke up because mine was too loud."

"I was talking to him after dinner before he took Ivan to bed. He promised he would be back down so we could talk some more but I'm giving him a half hour before I head to bed myself…The heartbeats he is talking about is normal. It just means his turn is happening faster than I thought." Arthur replied leading them both back into the dining room were Sebastian was putting out a tea pot making the Brit smile and take a seat pouring a cup.

"A vampire, once it goes into a deep sleep during the day, their body basically shuts down almost completely. Hibernation if you will. The one thing they do keep is their heightened hearing but it only focus in on the heartbeats of the people in its area. This allows him not monitor his people even while he is helpless."

"His people?" Sebastian asked taking a seat smiling politely as he poured his own cup of tea.

"Vampires normally keep a rather large group of non vampires with them at all times. This is for their protection. The more people they have to monitor in his sleep the safer he will be. He can pinpoint where a threat is coming from by accelerated heart rates and force his body into wakefulness even if it's still light outside. Gilbert has taken one person to feed off of but most aren't that picky they feed for most of the people in their group."

"Why would someone want to hang around vampire? It seems like a whole lot of take and not giving anything back." Matthew asked tilting his head.

"Well a vampire offers his protection to those he considers his. The people in this house for instance. You said Gilbert woke up because of your heartbeat? Basically what that means is his vampire subconscious is watching out for you. He woke up realized that the threat wasn't to him and decided to get up and forcibly lower your heart rate regardless. The more steady your heart beat is the better Gilbert will sleep."

"So no sex in the day time?" Holland asked walking into the room taking a seat followed by Mathias and Ludwig.

"No I'm not saying that. Gilbert can tell a good increased heart rate and a bad one. Panic makes a different sound to him then, let's say, sex or even just strenuous activity. You are all his lullaby basically. For this he will protect you all to the best of his ability."

"Gilbert was not a lord demon though. How can he lay claim on us?" Mathias asked looking displeased.

"He wasn't a lord demon but this is Vampire law we are talking about not demon or angel. He is stronger now. Should you ever come across another vampire they won't bother you weather you realize they are there or not. You must understand, vampires play a totally different game then us. They are the shadows living among us. They hardly ever have a leadership position but they run things in the background or are content just to follow as long as they get their blood and no one bothers their people."

"This is very interesting." Sebastian said with a smile. "You know your stuff."

Arthur blush lightly at that and cleared his throat. "Yes well, paranormal is a hobby of mine."

"Mathias." Norge walked slowly into the room arms crossed across his chest before pausing about halfway to the Lord demon.

The larger male tilted his head and gave a crooked smile. "I thought you were going to bed?"

"I want to finish out bond."

The blunt statement had the whole room quite. Arthur looked between the two nervously and Holland frowned before looking at Matthew. Slowly things started to click together in the man's mind. Matthew asking to talk to him about something. The angel smelling like a demon he didn't recognize and ice's scent mixed in with it. The blood drops on his neck. "Aw fuck." He muttered softly turning back to the door as Ice came in nervously a dark skinned man trailing behind him.

Mathias stood so quickly his chair toppled over and a growl ripped out of his throat that sent a shiver down Matthew spin. "Mathias!" Norge snapped staying in front of his brother and the new man.

"He marked him!" He snarled horns breaking out of the top of his head threateningly. "He marked my property!"

"Ice is grown enough to have his own bonded partner" Norge said taking a step towards his mate hands up in an appeasing manner.

"He didn't ask! He didn't follow the rules!" Mathias slammed his fist down on the table making it rattle.

Ice backed up and Sadiq looped his arms around the smaller man nuzzling the top of his head smiling condescendingly at the other demon lord eyes practically gleeful under his mask. "I will take good care of him."

"HE IS NOT YOURS!"

"He has been mine since the dawn of time!" Sadiq snapped back. "We dreamed of each other. His soul has been calling to mine since his creation!"

Ice flushed at the proclamation and tilted his head back to look up at the tan man and give a small smile.

"Mathias…please. Norge said softly taking another step towards him. "Let me finish our bond. I have made you wait long enough."

"But." The demon looked at a loss for what to do looking between Ice and Norge. "Why is everyone abandoning me?"

"What do you want more Mathias? Your clan who hates you or Norge?" Gilbert walked into the room like the tension in the air didn't affect him at all. He walked past the group by the door up to the big demon in a way that looked more like a glide then a walk. When did Gilbert get so quiet? Matthew wondered. He couldn't even hear one step the other made.

He circled the larger man slowly. Predator to prey but Mathias didn't seem to get the implication as he looked between his last two important clan members. "Pick your partner, your lover, the only one who still believes you have a soul underneath all that insanity that makes up your mind. Or force Ice to stay. Prove them all right when they say you're a heartless selfish bastard. Lose your lover and keep your broken home. Which one would you choose Mathias?" Gilbert looped and arm over the giants shoulder whispering in his ear in a way that made Matthew blush. "Insanity or salvation friend. Make your choice. The world is watching. The universe waits on batted breath for you."

Ice was shaking in his lovers hold and Norge looked a mix between wanting to shove Gilbert away or fleeing from the room. The vampires eyes were glowing red and his teeth were sharper than normal Matthew noticed. The vampire breathed in deeply over the demons neck as if he could taste the sharp tang of blood through his unbroken skin already. It was then that Matthew realized he was waiting for Mathias to make the wrong choice. If the larger man decided he wanted to keep Ice and attack Gilbert was going to dig his teeth in and rip at his throat to protect the smaller man. Jesus what was happening. When did thing get so bad. Matthew glanced quickly around the room looking at everyone's faces. They knew.

They knew what Gilbert was doing and no one moved. No one made a sound. All of them truly waiting on batted breath for the crazy demons to make his choice. "What's your answer Mathias?"

"Pick me." Norge finally spoke up drawing Mathias gaze. "Please…please pick me Mathias." The young demon looked near tears afraid his lover would make the wrong choice and wind up being mauled. "Please God, I'm begging you to pick me!"

"But Ice-"

"If you love me you will do this!" The normally emotionless man pleaded taking another step forward watching Gilbert nervously who watched him back lazily.

Mathias stepped away from Gilbert and the vampire let him go as the giant knelt down wipping at Norge's face. "You're crying…"

"Your making me cry!" He snapped and Mathias smiled at him. "You're cute when you cry…" The blond demon hiccupped a sob wiping furiously at his eyes and Mathias rested his head against the smaller man's shoulder.

"Would you hate me if I picked to keep Ice?"

"Yes." Norge forced the word out voice breaking as he laid a hand on Mathias hair. "Please stay with me."

The giant demon let out growl so deep it shook inside Matthew's chest. He had made his choice he clung to Norge like a lost child and the other demon held him close glaring at the rest of them in the room like it was their fault they were witnessing so personal.

"Ice and I are going to travel." Sadiq spoke up and Mathias twitched but otherwise didn't respond. "We are leaving in the morning." Ice added softly. Still no response.

The dark skinned man sighed tugging at Ice's hand and they went to leave the room. "If you hurt him…I will hunt you down and kill you." Mathias said, his face still pressed into his lover's shoulder.

"I would never hurt Ice. I couldn't if I tried. He is the ice to my fire. The first person I have ever been able to touch without them burning up. We are fated…I would cut off my own are before I harmed him." Ice's facial expression didn't change but Matthew saw him squeeze the darker man's hand tighter.

"Thank you Mathias." Ice spoke up. "Thank you for letting me…live."

"Don't thank me. Thank your brother. I would rather beat your ass for suck a blatant display of disrespect." The demon grumbled as Gilbert dropped down into a seat next to his brother bored now that he wasn't getting to play with anyone.

"Thank you Norge." Ice said weakly and the other man nodded back at him. "Be safe. You know how to call if you need me." The youngest demon nodded before fleeing from the room pulling Sadiq along with him. Norge sighed heavily before patting on his lovers head. "My legs hurt standing like this. Take a seat or come to bed."

The Demon lord made an annoyed sound but scooped the little blond up and dropped down into a seat with him in his lap. "Is there anything we need to discuss or can I go to bed."

"Travel." Matthews spoke up weakly and Gilbert snorted.

"You sound like a mouse. No wonder no one remembers you." The vampire teased good heartedly making the angel scowl.

"Traveling where?" Ludwig asked.

"Romano didn't tell you?" Matthew asked frowning.

"Romano doesn't speak to me." The stoic blond demon replied his natural scowl in place.

"Ivan told me he knows a man who might be about to separate your boy lover and his twin." Gilbert cut in tracing the grain of the wood in the table with his finger slowly, only half paying attention.

"What?" Ludwig suddenly looked so hopeful that Matthew sent up a prayer that they weren't leading the man on.

"He's not positive." Holland spoke up seriously. "Be he said the man works in old medicine and we wanted to give it a try. Romano agreed but doesn't want Feliciano to know about it and get his hopes up."

"When? When can we leave?" Ludwig asked leaning forward eagerly.

"Ah well…" Matthew shot a look at Mathias and then back to Ludwig. "We're really only waiting on Gilbert to finish his change."

"Oh blame it all on the dead guy." Gilbert muttered changing his tracing to going against the grain lazily.

"You're not dead." Arthur sighed like they had been over this before.

"Vampire equals the living dead. Ergo I'm dead." Gilbert replied flippantly before lifting his fingers looking at his slightly elongated nails and dragging the new found weapon across the table leaving a scratch. "Well…isn't that interesting."

"How much longer will it take?" Ludwig asked reaching a hand out to still Gilbert's movements by placing his hand over his brothers.

"Oh no I wouldn't-" Arthur rushed to say reaching his own hand out to stop what was already coming. Gilberts red eyes flashed up to look into his sibling's blue, he bared his fangs at the same time that his fist rounded up connecting with Ludwig's chin sending him sprawling.

Matthew jumped up out of his seat in surprised and Holland grabbed his arm to keep him still when Gilbert jerked around to face the rest of the room. The vampire was panting and his tongue licked at his fangs as he started to pace rubbing a hand on the back of his neck.

"What's happening?" Matthew asked nervously as Holland pulled down to sit on his lap wrapping his arms around the angel making Gilbert snort an annoyed noise at the display.

"He is conflicted about whether or not he should feed from us." Arthur said not moving a muscle but watching the man pace faster his annoyance rising. Touch is like an aphrodisiac to a vampire. The prospect of blood is the only thing he can think about. When his brother placed his hand on top of his it opened his mind to the possibility to feed from him."

"So…he hit him."

"To forcibly move him back yes." Arthur replied and Gilberts nose flared and he growled. "This is worse than those awkward teenage years. My thoughts are all over the place." Gilbert muttered shaking slightly like he was humming with energy but stopped walking.

"It's normal. It will pass. It's just a growing stage…You are progressing quickly Gilbert. Your body has been waiting for this for a long time. Relax just let it run its course."

Gilbert let out a snarl. "If I let it run its course angel I would have you bent right now."

Arthur chuckled at that. "Alfred would not be pleased."

"Ivan would have my head…and not in a good way…what is wrong with me?"

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess almost every time you feed its right before sex, during sex, or right after it?" Gilbert looked slightly embarrassed but nodded making Arthur chuckle again. "You associate feeding with sex. It's not all that strange, it's how you are most comfortable and in an attempt to enlarge your feeding base from one person your vampire mind basically tells you feed and fuck."

Gilbert let out something like a groan and a growl picking up his pacing again. "I'm disturbed…fucked in the head."

"It's normal. If I had to guess I would say by tomorrow you will be fully changed. If you work at it touch won't always mean food and food won't always mean sex. It will just take time." Arthur explained. "Now that doesn't mean you will have a handle on all your new abilities but it does mean you will be ready to travel if you feel up to it."

Gilbert nodded quickly refusing to look at anyone and ran a hand through his hair. "Ivan just got to sleep." He muttered. "I can't wake him up again."

"Go run." Holland spoke up drawing Gilberts gaze to both Holland and the nervous Matthew.

"What?"

"Go run. Work off your energy and when you get back wake Ivan. Feed. Love him if you still feel the need and you will feel better." The demon lord said gently as red eyes rolled over him and his angel.

Gilbert swallowed hard blinking quickly at some thought that was filling his mind and his face flushed red. "God damn…" He whispered.

"Gilbert for the love of God go run!" Ludwig snapped dropping down into his own chair again hearing all of his brother's dirty thoughts before suddenly the vampire was gone, disappearing into a shadow, his crackling laugh all that was left behind.

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	41. you never said

Gilbert shifted uncomfortably doing his best to keep his head down as instructed. Holland had growled at him a hundred times on the trip that he needed to behave once they arrived.

Behave, he scoffed. He always behaved it wasn't his fault that other people didn't understand his sense of humor.

The trip had been long. Three days of traveling only by night. He could tell that it was wearing on his little group to keep his schedule. Feliciano had been chipper at the start of the adventure unsure of where they were headed but willing to follow Ludwig to hell and back now that they were together again so he had only shrugged when they awkwardly told him they wanted to leave and made up some lame excuse about needing to get away for a while.

Ludwig had carried the smaller man every night when he got to tried to walk. The blond hooked the little fallen up under his knees and let him sleep against his broad back as they continued on in the dead of night. Matthew had done well for being a pure blood angel and unused to being awake so long at night. He walked beside Holland at a steady pace until his steps would start slow. And then slow would become stumbling until Holland would take his hand and slow then entire group down. It drove Gilbert crazy but what could he do? Force them to hurry up?

Francis had stayed behind with Joan blushing the whole time while he explained that Sebastian had asked him to stay behind and help Joan keep the house up and ready for their return. Gilbert hadn't minded. He was happy to see his friend happy.

It sucked loosing Arthur. Alfred…not so much. The angel had known his vampire stuff. But the man had told them that he was needed back in their sector of heaven. They couldn't all go running around the outer rings of heavens gates willy nilly. He promised to come find them again soon after he poured over his notes again on vampires and dug up whatever more he could. He made Gilbert swear up and down that he wouldn't interact with any other vampires should he find them.

"Vampire politics Gilbert are a tricky thing. You are very young. Very very young compared to most recorded vampires today. You will be better off to avoid another vampire and his or her 'kiss' if at all possible."

Gilbert had rolled his eyes and scoffed at the idea that anyone could harm him now. He could feel his body growing stronger every day and the idea of any other vampire or their little group…Kiss? Was that what Arthur had called it? It was just beyond imagination now.

He had spent the three days playing tag with shadows and seeing how far ahead he could get before turning around and rejoining his group. It was immensely enjoyable to run at night he found. He could see better than he ever had before and his body moved like liquid. He could flip and roll and tumble. He could climb the tallest tree and leep from the top without harm. The night sky called his name and the wind begged him to race with it. Faster faster faster.

His veins sang with the song of the night and gave him a high like no other. It took Ivan's giant hands on his skin to bring him down back to earth. He was laughing and he knew Mathias and Ludwig were giving him strange looks but Ivan was holding him close and chuckling softly in his ear before setting him free to run again to his heart's content.

Sleeping in caves to avoid the sun hadn't been his idea of a good time and he was jonesing for a good ride on Ivan's manhood and a decent meal, as he had been holding back from feeding in front of the others.

It was exciting to come upon their final destination. It was a house like nothing he had ever seen. The roofs had sharp slops and sharp points with a red underside and a grey top. It was beautiful and exotic and Ivan had grabbed his hand to keep him from rushing ahead of the rest of them.

Holland lead them up to the door only to be greeted by a thin woman who bowed to them. "Ivan-sama. We have been waiting for your return."

Ivan smiled at the young woman who bowed again. "Please this way and I will lead you to the sitting room."

The group followed the woman in where she slid a thin door open and bowed again. "They will see you shortly."

Ivan cuffed Gilbert on the back of the neck pulling him down onto a cushion on the floor. "Be still. Keep your eyes down until addressed."

With the gruff command in his ear Gilbert huffed and glared at the floor wanting nothing more than to fidget around and explore.

The sound of a door sliding open made Gilbert want to look up but he glanced at Ivan who gave him a firm look and he snorted but looked at his hands folded in his lap. He closed his eyes and listened. Five new people shuffled into the room taking their seats at the front. Slow steady heartbeats.

"Welcome." A gentle voice spoke up and Gilbert had to crush the urge to look up again. "I am very interested in what has brought such a…diverse group to my home."

"Ivan said that you may be able to help us with a problem we have." Holland spoke up to Gilberts left.

The man before them made a soft 'hum' noise before woman's voice cut in. "And which problem would you be referring to as it seems your group has many."

"Mai." A sharp voice cut her off and the room fell into silence.

"You may stay with us as long as you wish…I do believe I may be able to help you."

"Really?" Ludwig sounded a mix between fear and hope and Gilbert saw Holland glare at him for speaking out of turn out of the corner of his eye who Matthew visible relaxed slouching into Holland's side with the good news.

"Hai. I will need a little bit of time and…for him to understand what I am trying to do." The room went quite again and Gilbert could hear someone whispering ahead of them and glanced at Ivan to find his gazed fixed on the people in front of him and Gilbert found he couldn't resist finally taking a peek. He looked up and his breath caught when he found black eyes looking right back at him.

Vampire. His instincts told him.

Those almond eyes bore into Gilberts soul and he suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe, couldn't hear, couldn't see anything but those dark dark eyes, before the man smirked just the slightest and looked away.

Gilbert took a shuddering breath and scanned his eyes over the group trying to keep his hands from shaking.

A short haired man in with his eyes closed and his head bowed wearing black was on the far right. He had his legs tucked under him and his hand resting on his thighs.

Next to him was a woman with beautiful dark brown hair spilling down her back and a pretty pink flower in her hair that matched her long sleeved dress. Her sleeves pooled at her fingers resting in her lap her legs also under her and she smiled sweetly at Gilbert before his gaze moved on.

The one with the black eyes still wasn't looking at Gilbert but had his head leaned to the side listening to the man whispering next to him eyes only for Ivan that made his chest tighten. He was wearing tight black pants and a red top that had slips up the sides so it had a thick strip between his legs and sleeves that were so long Gilbert couldn't see his hands. His hair was long but tied back and pulled over his shoulder and he sat Indian style.

Then man next to him had straight hair that was a little longer then then one on the ends. His legs were spread wide though he was kneeling on his knees like the other two. His top was blue and his pants were white. His sleeves were folded up so they rested nicely at his wrists as he leaned to the side whispering quickly to the long haired one.

The last one was in grey pants with long white sleeves that hid his hands and a green over shirt. He had his knees pulled up and his arms between his legs on the floor leaning forward a little smiling widely at all that was going on.

"I apologize. It seems we haven't introduced ourselves." The vampire spoke up. "On the end is Kiku, This is Mai, I'm Yao, This is Kaoru, and last we have Yong Soo. It is a pleasure to have friends of Ivan's with us."

"I am Holland this is my…"

"Partner." Matthew supplied helpfully blushing a little making Gilbert snort rudely at the term.

Holland shot him a dirty look but continued. "My partner Matthew. That is Mathias and his mate Norge. And Ludiwg and his partner Feliciano. And You know Ivan and that's his mate Gilbert."

"Mate aru?" Yao mimicked the word eyes going back to Gilbert. The albino grit his teeth and managed to keep breathing steadily as he glared up at the other man. "That is interesting. Hum…" Yao looked away again smiling at all of them before clapping his cloth covered hands together. "Well then…Now that all of the formal things are out of the way-" He was suddenly on his feet and across the room diving at Ivan and the larger man opened his arms and caught him chuckling.

"Ivan! I have missed you so much! I was afraid you would never return!"

"I missed you too Yao. It has been far too long." The smaller vampire settled happily in Ivan's lap like it was a place he was used to sitting and Gilbert could hardly control the urge to ripe the other man off his mate.

"Kiku? Would you mind showing everyone to their rooms? Mai get a late dinner on I'm sure they would all enjoy a good meal after such long travels. Kaoru if it wouldn't be too much trouble find towels for everyone and get the outdoor hot spring prepared for after dinner. Yong Soo please get everyone sandals and fresh clothes for after their bathes I'm sure they could all use a good night's sleep."

The four chorused a 'yes brother' standing to do as they were bid. "Oh and one more thing" Yao said leaning his back into Ivan's waist and pulling the larger angels arm across his waist. "keep your teeth to yourself."

All of them chuckled as it was some kind of joke as Gilbert realized it wasn't just Yao who was a vampire but all of his siblings as well. "This way please." Kiku said softly to Holland as the man stood up and pulled Matthew close.

"Ivan we will meet back up with you at dinner?" Holland asked frowning at the scene before him as Gilbert grit his teeth to keep from using them to rip out Yao's throat and glared holes into the ground.

"Da, da comrade. Don't worry Yao and his siblings are good people. No need to pull such a face." Ivan laughed leaning back a little not releasing the small chinamen and Holland shook his head but sighed. "Alright…Gilbert-"

"Stay out of trouble, keep my head down, don't touch anything, don't bite anyone, don't fidget, keep my mouth shut until I'm spoken too. You have gone over all the rules already Holland!" He snapped making Holland raise an eyebrow but Matthew gripped his arm to keep the Demon lord calm.

"Don't you want to come with us Gilbert? Get settled in your room?" Matthew asked softly. They were obviously nervous about leaving him alone with the current situation.

"No I will wait. I would rather sit here and supervise me hands mate thanks." He growled and Matthew shot Ivan a look that the Russian chose to ignore.

"Alright." The blond angel sighed pulling Holland towards the door. "If you change your mind…come find us."

Gilbert made and 'umhum' sound as he ran his tongue over his sharpened teeth and the door slid shut behind them leaving only him Ivan and Yao behind.

"We have much to catch up on!" Yao said excitedly flipping around to face Ivan before he paused. "Ivan…?" Gilbert looked up as Yao started to pull open the large angels shirt exposing his chest.

"Hey. HEY!" Gilbert growled as Yao traced his hands only the marks on Ivan's skin looking upset at all the little scars Gilbert was leaving behind.

"Look at what he has done to you!" Yao whispered as Gilbert surged forward to forcible remove the smaller vampire from his lovers lap only to be shoved back so hard he fell with woosh and gasped as the air was knocked out of him.

Yao leaned his head forward to nuzzle at Ivan's neck and the Russian closed his eyes hands tightening on Yao's waist before he rumbled out the man's name in worning. Yao pouted bit placed his hands on the other's shoulder's too keep him still as his teeth slide out and he clamped down on one of Gilberts marks covering it with his own.

"NO!" Gilbert shrieked. "No no no no!" He half demanded half begged as he crawled towards them trying to force his lungs to work and he jerked at Yao's back. "Stop it! Stop it damn it that's mine!"

Yao pulled his teeth out and laved his tongue over the wound lazily before glaring at Gilbert. He stood slowly pulling the albino's hands off him before too fast for Gilbert to follow he had his hand wrapped around his throat lifting him off his knees into the air. "For something that is yours young one you take very poor care of it." Yao said softly voice just above a whisper.

"YAO!" Ivan snapped making the Asian man drop Gilbert as suddenly as he picked him up.

Gilbert coughed and sputtered as his crushed larynx fixed itself and he watched as Yao sat down in Ivan's lap again. "He is healing my scars Gilbert, he's not feeding off me." Ivan said weakly looking at Gilbert to understand as Yao bit him again and Ivan winced, his hand went to the back of Yao's head like he did when Gilbert feed.

It hurt. Oh god it hurt something deep inside to watch another sink their teeth into Ivan as he wanted to. As his body was demanding him too. "Healing?" He asked as his throat stitched up. "I didn't know I could."

Yao made a rude noise glaring over his shoulder at Gilbert blood on his teeth before his gaze softened. "Where are your instincts? Did they not tell you how to do anything?"

"Instincts?" Gilbert echoed. "I don't…"

"Come here." Yao demanded and though it rubbed Gilbert wrong to follow the man's directions he pushed himself to his feet and dropped back down in front of them with a huff.

"When you bite-" Yao said pulling Gilbert towards him with a hand on the back of his head forcing him to look at all the marks he'd left on Ivan. "You either choose one spot like a demon does to leave its mark or you heal the damage you have caused every time you pull out. Otherwise you leave your 'Mate'-" Gilbert could practically hear the air quotations. "all marked up and bruised and hurting."

"We are not demon's child we don't need to leave a mark to stake our claim on someone. I could smell you on him from the minute he stepped into my house. Any Vampire could. Only the depraved leave their donors in such a messy state as you have. It's making me sick to look at it."

"If that's making you sick what till you see what I did to his thighs." Gilbert muttered feeling chastised and rebellious.

Yao snarled his grip on the back of Gilberts neck going painfully tight and Ivan placed his hand over it. "Yao…Calm my friend. He is just young and doesn't know any better."

"I took better care of you." Yao snapped and Gilbert finally had enough. He lurched forward tackling Yao using his bigger body to top the man and pin him to the floor.

"Alright listen here you little bastard. I realize you and Ivan must have had something in the past but Ivan is mine now and you can either show me how to take care of him or fuck off and let me figure it out myself. Mmk?" Gilbert leaned forward so he was eye to eye with the amused looking Yao before he let his temper get the best of him and he closed his mouth over the smaller mans. He shoved his tongue in even at the sound of startled protest lapping up all of Ivan's blood from Yao's mouth before pulling back.

"Mm yummy. I wonder if your blood tastes as good as your mouth does." He said smiling, pleased with himself before suddenly Yao hooked a leg around one of his and he was being flipped onto his back with one arm pinned under his body and the other twisted around his back as Yao knelt over him keeping him pinned with a hard knee in spine.

"Don't ever kiss me again or I will rip your teeth out with pliers you…you-" Yao broke off into angry sounding Chinese and Ivan picked the furious man up off Gilbert letting him roll back around off his stomach looking at the man's bright red face. Gilbert laughed despite himself and Yao got even louder yelling as Ivan held his hands up in a placating gesture.

"What's a matter baby you like to take but your no good at receiving?" Gilbert asked gyrating his hips lewdly. Yao looked ready to murder him when Ivan scooped him up around the waist and lifted him off the floor keeping him pinned to his chest.

"Yao he is trying to make you angry. Calm down." Ivan begged as Yao struggled to get himself free.

Almond eyes glared death at Gilbert and the younger vampire stuck his tongue up tauntingly before Ivan growled in the back of his throat. "ENOUGH. Both of you!" Yao went still and Gilbert ducked his head Ivan's pissed off heartbeat pounding in his head warning him that one of his own was upset.

"Ivan I-"

"Shut up Gilbert." Ivan snapped setting Yao on his own two feet. "I am tired. I am hungry and I don't have the patience to deal with you two's pissing contest tonight. Yes Gilbert leaves marks. He is learning. There is no reason for you to taunt him Yao. Now I am going to dinner. I am going to sit in that wonderful out door bath you have and then I am going to sleep! No biting. No sex. No catching up on the past. I am too tired for it. Two tired for both of you."

Yao made a whining sound in the back of his throat and his teeth pulled back leaving perfect rows of flat blunt teeth. And Ivan lifted a large hand and touched Yao's lips. "None of that. We will speak tomorrow when you have a clear head and stop taunting my mate. I have missed you and I don't want to fight."

"Ivan?" Gilbert said softly and the large man lifted himself fully upright and came over to Gilbert placing a chaste kiss on his lips playing with a strand of his hair. "I will be seeing you at dinner. I will wash your back in the spring and then I will go to bed and let you watch over me while I sleep. Then" He said pressing his mouth right above Gilberts ear in a way that was completely intimate. "I will wake early, before the sun rises and I will take you. Slow and easy and I will listen to you beg me to hurry. You always want it fast and hard, but I will not be rushed. Not this time. I will make love to your body till all you feel and hear and taste and smell and see is me." Ivan's big hands traced a light path over Gilberts collar bone sending a shiver down his spine. "Then while we are coming down from our orgasms I will let you drink long and deep until you are satisfied and ready for sleep. I will watch you. Sedated and content until the sun is up and you can't stay up a moment longer no matter how hard you try. I promise." Ivan pulled back smiling tiredly running a finger along Gilberts lips longingly before turning and leaving the room.

Gilbert took a shuttering breath not sure when he stopped breathing but closing his eyes relishing the giddy high feeling Ivan had left him with.

Opening his eyes Gilbert saw Yao facing away from him arms crossed across his chest gnawing at lip with a sharp tooth causing blood to pool close to the surface making his lips turn a sharp red.

God Gilbert was hungry.

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	42. aphrodisiac

Matthew waved Holland on when Norge stopped him outside his new room. "We will be right down." He called reassuringly to his frowning partner. "I'm sure Kaoru will show us the way there." The youngest Asian man nodded in agreement and Holland huffed shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Don't be long."

"Yes dear." Matthew chimed making Holland shake his head but walk on following after Kiku Mathias and Ludwig.

"You have been trying to get me alone for the past four days what's been bothering you?" Matthew asked deciding to cut to the chase and get this over with. Kaoru stood politely back in a mock display of privacy. Matthew wasn't fooled and he could tell by the way Norge made a displeased face he wasn't either. Living with their own new born vampire had taught them a few things about how well they could hear.

"I need to talk to you about how you handled Holland last week." The short blond replied crossing his arms and steeling himself for Matthews reaction.

"I'm sorry what?" The angel asked scowling. He hadn't done anything wrong. Matthew shifted uncomfortably glancing at Kaoru before looking Norge over to try and decide if he was kidding. His brother had been almost ecstatic at Matthews display of 'not-takin-no-shit'. Arthur had told him that he was proud that the younger angel had stood up for himself. Francis had nearly had a giggle fit when Matthew retold the story.

"You angel's are so stupid." Norge snapped.

"HEY! He was acting crazy! What did you want me to do? Let it go? Let him think he could treat me like that?"

"YOU MAKE HIM CRAZY!" Norge yelled before huffing and looking away. "It's you, you blind bastard. You have a one sided bond." The little demon looked back at Matthew as if he could force the angel to understand what he meant by staring at him hard enough. "You angels you call it a demon mark. You call it a curse. You bitch and moan and cry when you're given one, but what you don't understand is that it's everything! Holland would die for you. Kill for you. Give you anything you desired. There are no ends he wouldn't go to try and please you!-"

"I still don't-"

"But it is one sided you moron!" Norge hissed cutting Matthew off again. "One sided! Do you understand what that means? Imagine being willing to give someone your whole world and not even knowing if they cared about you back. He knows you are his. You wear his damn mark but he will constantly feel inadequate for not wearing yours. He will always feel like he needs to keep you from others so you won't give your 'mark' to them instead. "

Matthew frowned. Holland knew he cared didn't he? He knew that he wouldn't leave him right?

"A demon with a one way bond grows possessive of their marked partner. They can't help it. Holland didn't have complete control of himself that night and you…you stupid dense little holy bird, not only yelled at him for his basic nature but forced him to submit to you! Forced a Demon lord to watch you touch other demons and smell them all over you just to prove your point."

"But…" Matthew started weakly feeling a little less right and a little more guilty. "I couldn't live with him acting like that. It was wrong."

"Of course it's wrong. I'm not standing here saying you need to let Holland own you. I'm standing here telling you you need to complete your damn bond!"

Matthew scowled. "Says the man who was part of a one way bond for years."

Norge flushed a little and looked away again. "I had reasons to not let Mathias finish our marking…and he enjoyed watching me make a fool of myself when I grew possessive so it never hurt either of us to wait."

"What do you want me to do? Bite him? I am not a demon Norge I can't give Holland my mark to show him he is mine as much as I am his."

"For the love of God, Matthew just fuck him already!" Norge hissed in a whisper, his face ten shades of red. "An angel and a demon can complete a one sided bond with consensual sex. Do you angels truly know nothing of Demon Marks and the bond?"

"N-no I-I didn't-" Matthew stammered looking for a way out.

"Mathias and I will be leaving soon to go home and I can't just let you go around bumbling around like an idiot hurting Holland because you don't know any better so just do it already."

Holy hell.

Sex.

Sex with Holland.

Sex with Holland would give the demon lord the reassurance he needed.

Sex with Holland would give the demon lord the reassurance he needed and it would complete their bond.

"I…I'm afraid."

Matthew's face was on fire and Norge was looking away from him scowling like talking to Matthew was about as fun as pulling teeth as Kaoru cleared his throat and stepped towards them a little. "My apologies for interrupting, but I could not help but over hearing you conversation."

Matthew held back a rude snort at that and did his best to look at the young man without looking horribly embarrassed. " Earlier Yao asked me to give you something. I think it may help with the problem you are having now." Kaoru slipped his hand inside his black sash and pulled out a small vial. Inside it looked like crushed herbs. The serious looking Asian placed the bottle in Matthews hands forcing him to take it. "This is a very powerful Chinese aphrodisiac. If you make a cup of tea before bed tonight and pour these content in and drink it all it will help you. They will make you calm and only have the desire to make love. There will be no fear. No worry. It will allow you to share a beautiful moment with your partner that may otherwise take you years to reach on your own."

Matthew swallowed hard looking at the vial and back at Kaoru. "Why would Yao want you to give this to me?"

"Yao only wants what is best for his guests. You came here asking him to help you with your problems and he will see it done before you leave." Kaoru replied gently placing his hand over Matthews making him close his hand in a fist clenching the glass.

"We came here to see if Yao could help Romano and Feliciano, not me and Holland." Matthew said quickly feeling slightly light headed.

"Just take the vial Matthew!" Norge snapped. "It will make everything better! It will make everything right."

"Your Lord and love asked us to help with a problem your group was having. He did not specify which problem he was referring and that gives us the freedom to help you all. Take is Matthew. Drink it before bed and you will be a bonded pair by morning."

"Matthew?" Holland's voice startled the angel forcing him to look away from the hypnotic dark eyes of the Asian before him so he could whip around and face the demon Lord.

"H-holland!" Matthew gripped the vial tight not wanting the tall blond to see it. "What's up?"

"You were taking too long. They are just about to serve the food and as my…partner it would be considered rude if you were late to the meal." Holland explained with a sigh offering his hand to Matthew to lead him to the dinning room.

Had the way Holland said 'partner' always sounded so depressed? Matthew wondered as he shoved the bottle in his pocket and took Holland's hand letting him lead. Was he really so blind to what Holland wanted? No needed?

"What did Norge want?" Holland asked as they took their seats on the floor in front of a low table.

"Oh just to tell me he and Mathias were going to leave soon." Matthew said quickly looking down hard at the short table before him as he slipped his legs under the cloth that surrounded the table surprised to find it warm underneath. "Oh wow."

"Kiku was telling us that the table is used in Japan in the winters to keep warm!" Feliciano said excitedly from across the table next to Ludwig. "Isn't it cool!"

"It is." Matthew agreed as the others joined them at the table and servers started to bring out food.

"I hope this will be to everyone's liking." Yao said from the head of the table as food Matthew had never seen before was piled before them. "I had forks brought but incase any of you were feelng adventuress we have chopsticks as well."

Matthew smiled at that looking at the little wooden sticks set to the side of his plate and he smiled up at Holland. "Are you going to try and use them?" He asked watching as Feliciano immediately picked his up and Kiku tried to show him how to hold them properly.

"I think not. I would only make a fool of myself." Holland replied softly was they passed around bowls and filled their plates.

"Matthew." Yao's voice made the angel look up into almond eyes. "How did you find your room? Was it suitable?"

The man before him had his sleeves push up passed his hands now so he could eat and Matthew couldn't help but notice how young he looked. Not child young or anything but still youthful. What bothered him about it was that the man's eyes didn't match. Where his body said young his eyes said ancient. Where his body said new his eyes said old. Those eyes had seen more than their fair share and to be honest the black orbs frightened him a little. Holland's hand landed on Matthew's thigh and squeezed reassuringly before Matthew could finally focus enough to reply. "It was lovely. Thank you. I am rather enjoying seeing how different our cultures are."

Yao made an approving noise and Matthew let out a soft exhale when his gaze moved on. "Feliciano." He called next making the little Italian look up startled.

"Si?"

"Has everything been explained to you yet? Why you are here. What I will be trying to do?"

"Oh ahha. Si si. Ludwig and Romano told me…do you think you can do it? Separate us?" The brunette chewed at his lip not looking up from his plate concentrating harder then was necessary on his chopsticks.

"I do." Yao said softly and Feliciano swallowed hard but didn't look up.

"How will it work? Where will you put my soul?"

"When I pull your soul from your brothers' body you will have two choices. One, to pass on. And two, to create a new body for yourself. That part will be up to you. But I will do the rest." Yao explained calmly and Feliciano nodded still not looking up.

"Will it hurt much?...like it did the first time?" Matthew's breath caught. All he wanted to do was grab Feliciano up and never let him go; the poor angel demon had suffered enough.

"No child. It will be like being on the edge of waking and sleeping. You were never meant to leave your own body. Going back to it will be like going home."

Feliciano nodded quickly and tilted his head listening to Romano talk in his head. Matthew saw Ludwig close his eyes and imagined that the demon was listening in as well.

"He is scared." Feliciano said gently touching Ludwig's hand. "Don't worry to much about his words right now. We have just forgotten what it was like to be without one another that he is lashing out at the idea of me leaving. I'm sure Yao will do a good job."

Matthew wasn't sure what the temperamental twin must have said but Ludwig smiled weakly at Feliciano and gently touched his hair to smooth it without a word. To be honest the German looked a little frightened himself.

"Why aren't you eating Gilbert?" Mai asked tilting her head to the side looking at the vampire who was seated next to Ivan who was between both Gilbert and Yao.

"I don't eat food anymore." Gilbert replied with a huff arms crossed over his chest.

"You will make yourself and your Donor ill doing that!" The woman said startled looking between Gilbert and Ivan.

"He has no instincts." Yao said casually eating his rice with his chopsticks and the other four vampire suddenly were looking at Gilbert like he was kitten born without claws or a bird without wings. Something interesting that needed to be poked to make sure it was real.

"None at all?" Yung Soo asked. "How did you figure out how to turn? Did you do it by accident? I invented the Turn you know."

"Shut up Yung Soo!" Mai snapped leaning forward to get a better look at the albino who was refusing to answer.

"A friend of mine is a supernatural expert. He helped Gilbert with the turn and gave him some basic information." Matthew spoke up pulling all the vampire's eyes to him and away from his obviously agitated friend.

"Is your friend a vampire?" Kiku asked politely.

"No no. He's and angel. He just really enjoyed learning about…different things I guess." Matthew replied blushing a little and trying not to smile when he watched Gilbert gather food on his plate while no one was looking. "Arthur is a good guy. I'm sure he would love meeting all of you."

"What's not to like." Yung Soo. Said with a wide smile as he twirled his chopstick around in his fingers.

"Don't play with your chopsticks Yung Soo. Eat." Yao commanded and the younger made a face but did as told as Mai giggled and Kaoru and Kiku tried to hide their smiles.

The rest of the dinner passed in easy conversation and the decision that Yao would start working on Feliciano the following night. By the time their plates were being cleared away Matthew was feeling lethargic and leaning heavily against Holland who traced his middle finger around Matthew's knee under the table.

"If you would all follow me I will show you the way to the outdoor baths." Yao said standing followed by everyone else.

If Matthew had been presented with the outdoor bath two months ago he would have balked at the very idea of striping and getting in it with everyone else. No it just looked fantastic to his travel weary bones and he slipped in with a sigh scooting forward when Holland nudged him so the demon could slide in behind him.

It was nice.

The cool winter air around them. The stares and moon above. The presence of their friends.

"Let me wash your back." Holland whispered pulling them up out of the water to wash and rinse before soaking as Kaoru had instructed them to do. Matthew relaxed under Holland's bigger hands closing his eyes and nearly falling asleep as he was rubbed down.

"Your too cute angel." Holland teased lightly rinsing him slowly. "We don't have to stay long. Just want to get cleaned up and soak a little before bed."

"No I'm fine." Matthew insisted forcing his eyes open again. "Let me wash you." Matthew took the cloth and ran it carefully over Holland's larger body looking at the slowly fading marks from when he'd been stabled through with needles. It still made his heart clench thinking about it.

"Don't make that face. You'll make me sad." Holland spoke up forcing Matthew to look up at his face and he smiled. Matthew smiled back feeling his nerves fluttering in his stomach. Tonight. He was going to do it tonight. "You look nervous Matthew are you alright?" the blonde asked frowning to which Matthew nodded quickly.

"I'm just…thinking."

"About?"

"Ah well, I didn't see Sebastian at dinner. I was wondering where he went." Matthew covered quickly.

"Oh he was tired from traveling and asked if he could retire early tonight." Holland replied rinsing himself down before leading them back into the steaming water.

"He deserves a good rest." Matthew agreed. "The man works to hard."

Holland made a hum sound of agreement and relaxed back pulling Matthew against his chest.

Matthew wasn't sure how long they layed their listening to the others talking around them before Holland pulled them up slowly and announced they were going to bed.

Everyone called their goodnights and Matthew followed lazily as Holland pulled him back into the changing rooms to get dressed in their sandals and robes they had been supplied. Matthew found his vial tucked away in his basket and grabbed it up tucking it in his sash as Holland dressed and lead them back to their room.

"Oh tea." Holland said in surprised as two steaming cups sat on a tray next to their futons. "Tea actually sounds great right now don't you agree?" He asked giving Matthew a tired smile as he pulled off his robe and picked up his cup.

Matthew could have sworn his heart was beating out of his chest as he hung back by the door looking at the innocently steaming cup. "Do you think its considered rude to sleep naked in someone else's home?" Holland asked and Matthew laughed a little too high pitched.

"I think you sleeping naked is the least of their problems." He replied fingering the bottle in his sash before stepping forward towards the last tea cup.

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	43. Bond

A thousand apologies! I thought I put up a post about this story being on hiatus because of collage and I just now realized that I hadn't! :/ Derp…So so so sorry to everyone who was wondering where I went and when the next chapter was going to be up I hope to keep writing but I started taking classes again and Summer is not yet here. Should I have the time I will update as often as possible and hopefully I will get you all safely to the end of this story before too long. Please forgive my mistake and enjoy the chapter.

! #$%^&*()_! #$%^&*()_! #$%^&*()_~! #$%^&*()

Matthew played with the rim of his tea cup as he and Holland sat out on the wrap around porch that was right outside the sliding doors of their bedroom. Holland was still naked as the day he was born, comfortable in his bareness with the stillness of the night. The blonde demons hair was beginning to spike again as it dried giving the Lord a softer look then normal that Matthew would normally tease him about. Not tonight though. Tonight Matthew was torn between staring at the cup slowly cooling in his palms and the man beside him. Holland took a deep slow breath closing his eyes with a slight upturn of his lips as if he was in fact breathing in the beautiful night itself.

"You haven't touched your tea." Holland spoke softly keeping his eyes closed and his head leaned back, soaking in the gentle atmosphere around them.

"Oh I…" Matthew looked at the cup feeling guilt rise up in him and his cheeks heated. "I'm just…thinking is all."

Holland made a 'hum' noise, peeking on eye open to look the angel over. "And what, pray tell, has got you thinking so hard tonight Angel?"

Matthew shook his head again and forced a smile. "Just everything. Everyone. We have come such a long way…from home…from where we started. It's…overwhelming is all."

Holland smiled at that and nodded in agreement falling quiet again and closing his eyes once more. Matthew looked back at the cup in his hands. He could drink it. Be done with it. Let the drug take all the blame and finally, _finally_ finish the game of cat and mouse and do it. He swallowed thickly.

Or he could man up and do it himself. All nerves, and jitters, and shyness; but clean, and pure, and totally his choice. There would be no looking back and going 'I wish I could have felt it for real.'

It could be a total disaster. A pain filled, regret filled, horrible mistake of a disaster without the help of the tea to steady him, and give him the confidence that he needed to go through with it.

But with the tea how would he know that the bond they would be making was completely him and not some drug induced high that made him content and complacent. Without the tea Matthew would be free to feel as he feels now and even though at the moment he had nerves twisting in his stomach he still remembered how Holland made him feel in the shower. How carful and kind he had been.

But what if he ruined the moment because he was too scared to actually go through with it?

Matthew bit his lip, closed his eyes and sent up a prayer he'd made the right choice before he leaned over and sealed his mouth over Holland's in a tentative kiss.

The demon made an appreciative noise and kissed back softly before they pulled back and looked at one another. "What was that for?" Holland asked smiling.

Matthew swallowed hard and licked his lips twice trying to come up with an answer making Holland's face go between amused and confused. The angel huffed slightly in defeat blushing hard before lowering his head and just blurting out the next words. "Do you want to go back inside?"

Holland glanced back into their room more confused than before but nodded. "Yeah…Sure Matthew, anything you want."

Matthew nodded quickly, stood taking Holland's hand, and led him back into the room taking the time to shut the doors firmly behind them.

His now cold cup of tea was left on the porch.

Matthew pushed Holland down by his shoulders until he was sitting on his futon and took two steps back. "Matthew?" Holland questioned and the angel shook his head quickly feeling his face heating again.

He forced himself to meet Holland's gaze as he lowered his robe to the ground leaving him bare like his partner was.

"Matthew." Holland repeated again somewhere between breathless and stern. "What are you doing?"

"Can't you just shut up?" Matthew huffed crossing his arms across his chest already feeling the nerves settling low in his stomach. "I am trying to do something here and your butting in is just making it worse!"

Holland raised an eyebrow at that and leaned back on his hands looking Matthew up and down slowly in a way that sent a shiver up the angel's spine. "Alright…alright carry on then."

Matthew swallowed and nodded firmly, uncrossing his arms and putting them on his hips as looked down at Holland seriously before he bit at his bottom lip and a blush started up his face. "Ok." He said taking a calming breath looking Holland over. "Ok um…I honestly don't know what to do next." He admitted.

Holland gave him an amused smile before he leaned forward and carefully showed Matthew his hands before placing them on the back of the angel's legs to gently pull him closer. "I could help you decide the proper course or action, if you would just let me know what it is your trying to do you cute little thing." The demon said nuzzling his face into Matthew's stomach.

The blond tilted his head back and squeezed his eyes shut sending up a prayer for courage as he laced one of his hands in Holland's hair. "I want to make love and finish our bond." He said softly.

Holland jerked back quickly to try and look at Matthew's face only for the angel's hand to get caught on a knot in his still damp hair making him jerk to a stop. "Oh My God!" Matthew exclaimed quickly untangling his hand as Holland leaned his check against the man's stomach to keep from tugging against the struggling angel. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry!"

By the time they got detached Holland was chuckling and Matthew looked ready to cry while he covered his own face with his hands to hide his shame.

"Matthew, come here." Holland laughed tugging the angel down so he was kneeling on the floor. "You, my adorable angel, are just too much." He teased pulling away the other man's hands so he could look at his face.

"I fucked it up already." Matthew muttered miserably.

Holland leaned in and kissed Matthew sweetly before pressing forward a little more boldly cupping Matthews face and sweeping his tongue into the angel's mouth devouring him as best he could.

When they pulled back they were both short of breath and Holland smiled at Matthew gently bumping their foreheads together. "You haven't fucked anything up. Now come on. You started this; tell me exactly what you want to do."

Matthew swallowed hard and placed his head against Holland's shoulder to hide his embarrassment. "I want…you to…make love to me." The demon lords arms tightened around Matthew and the angel could feel the other smiling against his temple where he placed a kiss.

"And the bond?" Holland asked softly.

"I want to finish it." Matthew felt like his face was on fire and his hands held weakly at Holland's hips not sure where else to put them. "I want you to belong to me as much as I belong to you." He added after a moment of silence.

Matthew heard Holland's breath catch and felt his own heart stutter in reply. This was it.

"Alright then." Holland said as he peppered kissed down Matthews jaw as he pulled the angels face up from its hiding place and let him go to lay back on the futon. "Come on then this is your bond you have to lead this show."

Matthew flushed even brighter red as he looked over the long lean body laid out before him. Holland was half hard and looked completely at ease. "Holland." Matthew begged weakly. "I don't know what I am doing. I have never lain with a-a man before. Or a demon. I don't know what to do."

"What feels good on your body?" Holland asked with a casual shrug and a lazy smile. "You should know enough about that to start somewhere on mine. I'm sure we will figure the rest out along the way."

Matthew bit the inside of his lip trying to calm himself down and looked once more over Holland's body. Should he start right off touching the mans...business? Should he kiss him? Rub his chest like he did a woman's? The angel let out a pitiful sound before quickly straddling Holland and kissing him hard bumping their noises and gripping his chest all at once. Holland chuckled into the kiss angling their heads better before he ran his hands up Matthew's biceps and rolling his hips once brushing their manhood's together.

"Calm and easy." He whispered. "We have the rest of our lives no need to rush anything."

Matthew relaxed a little and placed kisses on Holland's lips before he left a trail down his chin to the demons neck and sucking a mark onto his skin. He moved on once he was sure the mark would be there in the morning and scooted back a little so he could continue his path south. He took the time to nip at both small brown pebbled nipples making Holland hiss in surprise before he followed it up with an annoyed sound. "Watch the teeth angel!"

Matthew blushed a little, but chuckled as he placed a slightly rough nip against Holland's flat stomach. "Your one to bitch about biting." He teased placing a kiss over the flushed red spot he left on the others skin before moving on at Holland's half annoyed half amused huff. Matthew kissed his way passed Holland's fully erect penis and started down the inside of his thighs nudging them open a little so he could get better access. Getting a little more relaxed Matthew sucked marks across Holland's legs enjoying the way his legs went tense and started to tremble a little. "Matt-" Holland choked out reaching down to pull him up and smash their mouths together. "You are killing me." He breathed out when they pulled apart. Matthew smiled and felt his chest swell with boldness and lifted his hips a little to let Holland's dick slip up behind his balls and pressed back lightly to push the head against his entrance.

"BABE!" Holland yelped, hands shooting up and grabbing frantically at Matthew's ass pulling him back up making the angel fall forward onto his elbows above Holland's shoulder so there were face to face. "Jesus. You're going to hurt yourself! You can't just go hopping on it willy nilly like that! You haven't been opened up at all!"

Matthew flushed bright red, eyes wide. He licked his lips slowly fighting down his embarrassment before opening his mouth. "I don't know what any of that means." He admitted softly and Holland blinked at him shocked before laughter bubbled up in his chest. "Oh angel…" He chuckled. "I have so much to teach to." He patted Matthews ass gently before letting go and reaching under his pillow pulling out a small bottle of lubricant.

"This is lub and will be your very best friend when it comes to sex."

"I know what lub is." Matthew muttered testily looking away but not moving again afraid to mess up any more.

"You want my help or not?" Holland asked raising an eyebrow. "I mean feel free to go at it your way if you want me to just shut up."

"I want you to shut up and show me how to do this right." Matthew hissed growing aggravated to hide his mortification gasping in surprise when a slippery finger pushed inside him and Holland pressed their mouths together for a quick peck on the lips.

"There's that spark I like." He teased working his single digit in further using his thumb to press gently on Matthews rim helping him to relax and stretch him a little more for the next finger.

By the time three fingers were pumping in and out of him Matthew had his chest flush with Holland's, his cheek pressed into his shoulder, and his ass pushed up high so that the demons fingers could brush the perfect place inside him that made him see stars.

Matthew let out a high pitched noise when the fingers slipped out of him that should have made him blush but he was enjoying this treatment to care too much. "Holland?" He questioned weakly blinking pleasure glazed eyes at him partner asking why he stopped. "You should be open enough now to take me Matthew." Holland said pushing hair out of his face smiling when understanding crossed Matthews face.

Matthew pushed himself up to a sitting position and swallowed feeling Holland slick manhood press against his hole again. "Oh!" He gasped feeling the head push inside him.

Holland made shushing noises and ran his hands everywhere he could touch trying to help Matthew relax, telling him to go slow and breathe. "I know how to breathe Holland." Matthew finally cut in smiling slightly and pushing down a little more making them both gasp at the feeling as he was fully seated.

Closing his eyes Matthew placed his hands against Holland's chest and rocked a little making Holland let out a grunt and then a moan when he did it again. Slowly he picked up his pace as he became accustomed to the strange feeling, groaning when he found a good position to brush his prostate making him tighten his hole.

"Matthew! Fuck!" Holland snarled out eyes glowing bright amber. Matthew's halo around his neck hummed lightly emitting a soft light as the angel sat up completely and threw his head back enjoying being on top and in control.

He laughed slightly to himself feeling powerful and beautiful while running his hands up into his own hair as he rode his lover. "I love this. Fuck Holland I love this so fucking much. Promise me we can do this all the time."

"All the time." Holland promised gripping at the sheets and arching up to press in deeper, making Matthew moan and laugh at the same time. He felt euphoric.

"Every day." Matthew insisted looking back down at Holland as he twisted his hips in a slightly different rotation that has Holland gritting his teeth to fight back another louder sound.

"Yes! Yes every day!" Holland swore before reaching up and pulling Matthew down so he could whisper in his ear. "Whenever you want. Anywhere you want. How ever you want. I would be this close to you always if you let me."

"I love you." Matthew smiled at that before kissing Holland and picking up his pace.

"Shit." The demon gasped grabbing a hold on Matthews hips and pulling him down harder onto his cock as he thrust his hips up.

Matthew's gasping turned to full on pants as he rocked back faster and harder and gripped at his own weeping prick jerking it as best he could while still keeping pace. "H-Holland!"

Holland let out loud groan pressing his head against Matthews shoulder while his body shuttered and jerked as he came. The demon lord sighed out Matthews name as he finished and it was enough to tip Matthew over the edge into oblivion.

Matthew woke up with a hand being petted up and down his spin and Holland softened cock still inside him. "I passed out." He said softly and Holland chuckled kissing his head.

"I saw that." The demon teased keeping up his petting making goose bumps break out across Matthews back.

They sat quite for a moment before Matthew spoke again. "I enjoyed that." He offered weakly peeking up at Holland through his bangs.

"I should hope so!" Holland out right laughed. "Seeing as you rocked my world and made the strongest bond with me that I have ever seen between an angel and a demon."

Matthew smiled widely and leaned up kissing Holland before the demon tapped at his halo. "You were glowing and I'm not sure why."

Matthew made a hum noise in the back of his throat as he sat up and felt Holland slip out of him. "Sex gives off a lot of energy. It must have been enough to fix my halo."

"I'm glad I could be of some service." Holland said cheekily as Matthew rolled off him to lay on the futon and smiled again.

"Will the others see our bond?" Matthew asked growing tired as Holland wrapped himself around him.

"Mmm, Yeah if they are looking for it they will feel it. I wear your mark now on me as you were mine." He said tapping a finger against his hip pulling back enough that Matthew could see a feather shaped white mark like an old scar against the demons skin.

Matthew made a pleased noise and burred himself against Holland as he pulled up the blankets around them. "Matthew." Holland said softly.

"Humm?"

"I love you too."

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